Raw-Riffic Food

Living and Dealing with Eating Disorders - "Getting Over ED" Summit

2012-01-20T07:24:00.002-07:00

For most of my life I have been dealing with diet issues - always concerned with what to eat, when to eat, where to eat, and WHY I EAT! No diet can ever be 100% successful if you can't get to the root of why you eat. Eating disorders come in all forms, shapes and sizes.

According to Wikipidea .com, "Eating disorders refer to a group of conditions defined by abnormal eating habits that may involve either insufficient or excessive food intake to the detriment of an individual's physical and mental health. Bulimia nervosa, anorexia nervosa, and binge eating disorder are the most common specific forms..." Although it's not really known what causes these eating disorders, it could very well be a combination of physiological, biological, and sociological reasons. Face it, we live in a society where body image is important, but so is food - all kinds of food! We are constantly being stimulated by food, and by image.

We are told to eat when we're sad, eat when we're glad. Eat to celebrate life, eat to mourn one's death. Eat when you are successful, eat when you are down. Eat, eat, eat, eat, eat! On the other hand, we are told that image determines how people look at you. If you are overweight you are unhealthy. If you are too skinny you are unhealthy. This constant concern with food and image can cause all kinds of emotional, physical, and social issues. It can lead to disease, illness, and premature aging. We need balance. Diet is a matter of lifestyle. In order to achieve that balance, we need to address our battles with eating disorders (ED).

So how do we deal with balancing diet and image? How can we can control or eliminate our battles with ED? Besides changing the foods we eat, we have to address the why and when we eat. Tera Warner and her team, of TeraWarner.com (formerly The Raw Divas) has put together a 9-day "Getting Over ED" tele-summit.

This 9 day summit will feature calls from a panel of experts addressing topics like Recovering from Eating Disorders, high density foods can change your health and life, how to eat for freedom and joy, overcoming obesity and creating optimal wealth and more. Though the program is free for participants to listen to the calls. "Getting Over ED" starts TODAY, January 20th and will last for 9 days. I strongly advise you to sign-up today so you don't miss out on any of the great information that will be offered over these next 9-days. I personally just found out about it this morning, and immediately signed-up. So please join me. Let's work on ending our own personal issues with Eating Disorders once and for all! You can click here to learn more and sign-up.

I look forward to sharing what we learn during the next nine days and see what changes we can make to find that balance. I know I need this for me. I've been a raw foodist for five years now, and found myself falling back into old eating patterns over the past year and half - with good food! Eating for me is more than just food, it has a lot to do with how I relate to food and to life. I'm truly looking forward to this summit. I hope you join me.

A Must See Documentary Film

2010-11-15T11:54:00.000-07:00

What do the actor Woody Harrelson, peak performance coach Tony Robbins, Rev. Michael Beckwith from "The Secret," Morgan Spurlock from "Super Size Me," Dr. Gabriel Cousens and raw food guru David Wolfe all have in common…

They're all featured in the powerful documentary film "Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days." If you haven't yet seen this film there's something really special going on this week only that I think you should check out.

You can see the trailer for the powerful film and see what's going on here:

Raw for 30 Days
Whether you're in perfect health or suffering with diabetes or any other health issue I highly recommend you watch this film. It's a powerful, emotional and educational film that is a must see for anyone who cares about their health.

For 6 day only they producers of the film are giving away "Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days" and the companion "Raw for Life" 2 disc DVD set for 50% OFF the regular price in an effort to raise awareness on how to reverse diabetes and other illnesses with raw and living foods.

It's all part of the November 14th World Diabetes Day celebration which is taking place this week.

Make sure to check out the trailer right away…

Raw for 30 Days

To your health!

- Debbie

Would You Consider This Radical?

2010-11-10T20:50:00.001-07:00

If I were to ask you to eat a raw food diet, would you consider that to be a radical diet? (I think most people would!)

Or would you consider eating pesticides, herbicides, hormones, and other manufactured chemicals found in everyday foods to be radical?

It's a pretty interesting question to ask…

Alex Ortner, producer of the film "Simply Raw" sat down with Mike Adams, one of the world's leading consumer advocates on health and well-being, to discuss this topic.

The interview is another eye-opening interview in the 100% free Simply Raw Video Series that has been released over the last week.

Just like all the videos in this Series, this video is a down to earth interview that must be seen by anyone who cares about their health…

If you want real solutions to real health problems then I highly suggest you see this video:

Raw for Life

Unfortunately a whole lot of false information from the food and drug industry has been put out to the public to keep them ignorant to the truths discussed in this video.

They've put billions of dollars into keeping us ignorant with advertisements that say ridiculous things like "high fructose corn syrup is fine in moderation."

Now I know that you're smarter than to believe their nonsense…especially if you've been watching the Simply
Raw Video Series over the last week.

And I hope you'll be smart enough to watch this video as well...

This 100% free video series has been getting amazing reviews for it's eye opening information (over 2,000 comments in just 7 days…)

Raw for Life

I hope you watch!

To your health,

Debbie

Delicious Greens 8000 - The Perfect Name for the Perfect Green Super Food Powder

2010-11-10T19:18:00.001-07:00

Recently I received several samples to try of a phenomenal super food powder called Delicious Greens 8000. I was surprised that I had not heard of this brand before, and was so happy that the request to sample came directly to me.

Unlike many of the other quality super green powders on the market, Delicious Greens 8000 is deliciously sweet tasting – no pun intended! The powder mixes smoothly, and provides that added energy boost to smoothies and juices. It’s great! There are no refined sugars or sweeteners of any kind added, making it a perfect super food powder for those individuals wanting to regulate their blood sugar.

Dr. Coco March, mother and health advocate, is the founder and formulator of Delicious Greens 8000. Dr. March created this product to better assist her patients and family in consuming the fruits and vegetables she recommended. The product provides nutrient-dense super foods from fresh organic vegetables and fruits that are both health enhancing, as well as desirable. No bitterness present at all; just super smooth, great tasting, energizing greens. “What better way to take in your daily fruits and veggies than through the magic of Delicious Greens 8000 super food powder!”

Research shows over and over again, the abundance of benefits that can be had through consuming nutrient-rich foods that include fresh organic fruits and vegetables every day. The more nourished the body, the more equipped the body is to fight off illness and disease. Experience increased energy, improved immune support, improved mental sharpness, restore body pH balance, and regulate intestinal flora and enzymes. All this just from consuming a “super powder”, rich in vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients all necessary for supporting great health and well being.

Delicious Greens 8000 comes in 5 blends, which includes one just for kids.

Delicious Greens 8000
Delicious Greens 8000 Berry Flavor
Delicious Greens 8000 Chocolate Flavor
Delicious Kids Fruit Punch Super Food Drink
Delicious Reds 8000

I had the pleasure of sampling three varieties so far, including Delicious Greens 8000 Berry Flavor, Delicious Reds 8000, and of course, the original and my favorite, Delicious Greens 8000. The Berry Flavor and Delicious Reds went perfectly with my morning fruit smoothies, and the Delicious Greens really boosted the flavor and energy benefits of my daily green smoothies. The family loves it too! I can’t wait to sample the chocolate flavor, and plan to use it in one of my raw energy bar creations. “You can never get enough super food greens!”

If you’re wondering what blend of ingredients make up this delicious and super nutritious green powder, they include organic fruits and vegetables. In addition, the ingredients include super greens and algae, fiber, antioxidants, lecithin, digestive enzymes, probiotics, stevia, citric acid, cinnamon powder, as well as several other healthy components. There is no added sugar, no artificial colors, no preservatives, no pasteurization, it’s not cooked, and best of all, it mixes well with water or other beverages, and it’s absolutely delicious – hence the name, Delicious Greens 8000.

It’s also backed by NaturalNews – which is a big plus for me, since I respect and value Mike Adam’s opinion on so many levels, especially when it comes to nutritional supplementation. The man does his research! Check out his 2008 Delicious Greens 8000 product review, and an audio interview with Dr. Coco March, the founder and formulator of Delicious Greens 8000, by clicking here.

To learn more about Delicious Greens 8000, or to purchase this product for yourself, please visit their website at http://www.greens8000.com/.

Peace!=)

Debbie

The Simply Raw Video Series is Amazing

2010-11-10T06:59:00.002-07:00

If you’ve been following the amazing Simply Raw Video Series you probably know by now that we in America and the rest of the world need to make some serious changes in how we approach health…
This 100% free video series has been an eye opener for many people and a refreshing reminder for others of the reality we live in.

Well I have some exciting news… video #3 in this free series with raw food expert David Wolfe has just been released!

Raw For 30 Days

In this video Alex Ortner, one of the executive producers of the film "Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days", sits down for a casual interview with David to not only get his take on whats going on with the health of the world but also to get some practical, immediate steps that any person can take to get healthy.

To watch this video and the two other videos that have been released right now just click on the link below:

Raw For 30 Days

I think that this video series that is being released by the Raw for Thirty team is amazing and that every person
should watch them. Plus, I know about the secret surprise that’s coming as we get closer to World Diabetes Day on November 14th and I want to make sure that you know about it.

Alex and his team are passionate about helping to not only improve your health but also to working together
to create a more health conscious world where disease is no longer the norm.I hope you check out the videos. They really are amazing…

Raw For 30 Days

I promise you that watching these videos will inspire you and educate you on how to lead a better life where you have an endless level of vitality and energy. This information is powerful…and it can change your life…

Raw For 30 Days

To your health,

Debbie

What Your Doctor is Hiding From You...

2010-11-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

What I'm about to share with you is information that you're doctor has probably never told you.

He's never told you this because quite frankly, he probably doesn't even know it himself.

Most doctors tend to be pretty clueless about how to get people healthy in the first place let alone how to keep them healthy.

But there are some doctors that do…

And the video that you'll see in a minute is from one of the world's leading medical doctors.

One of those doctors that does his job… you know, keeping people healthy so that they stop having to see him all the time.

His name is Dr. Joel Fuhrman and he's about to share with you specific details on what you can do to ensure that you never get sick again.

Click here: Raw For 30 Days

Dr. Fuhrman is going to share specifics on topics such as

*The root cause of all illnesses

*The biological explanation for why people have food addictions

*What macronutrients and micronutrients are and why you're likely eating too many macronutrients and not enough micronutrients.

*How to reverse chronic diseases.

*And a whole lot more...

To Learn More: Raw For 30 Days

This video is video number two in the 100% free Simply Raw Video Series that is being released by the makers of the film "Simply Raw".

The first video was released on Monday and featured Morgan Spurlock from the film "Super Size Me".

The video with Morgan has already had over 1,000 comments on the blog since it's release!

P.S. - Typically when you see a doctor you get charged an arm and a leg for information that is probably not helping you all that much. With this video you get to learn from one of the world's top doctors... for free.

I can't even imagine how much money watching this video will save you in future medical visits…

Raw For 30 Days

Make sure to watch this video with Dr. Fuhrman and if you happened to have missed the video with Morgan Spurlock don't worry…you'll get to see that one also. :)

To your health,

Debbie

Recommended Resources:

Simply Raw - A Powerful and Important "Must See" Movie!

2010-10-12T22:41:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried to convince your friends, family, and coworkers about the power of raw and living foods? Have you ever had some resistance? If you’re like me, I’m pretty sure the answer is YES to both questions.

There’s an unbelievable film that is EXTREMELY powerful in helping to motivate people about the importance of what they eat – and it’s important for you to see as well!

You can learn more about the film, and view the trailer here:

Raw for 30 Days

If you haven't yet seen the film "Simply Raw" then now is the time to check it out. This independent documentary film is about six individuals with incurable diabetics changing their diet and getting off insulin – and reversing their diabetes through raw foods. It is amazing!

Whether you are a diabetic or not, this is still, a very important film to see. It will help you to do that “Convincing” with friends (and yourself) a lot easier.

The exciting thing about a movie like Simply Raw is that it's a PASSIVE way of spreading powerful information. Like I said before, convincing your friends about raw food can be tough. But with "Simply Raw" you just have to convince them to watch the movie with you, or view it on their own, and let the movie inspire them into believers that raw foods are powerful body medicine! There’s additional wisdom is provided by Morgan Spurlock, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Robbins, Rev. Michael Beckwith, David Wolfe and Doctors Fred Bisci, Joel Fuhrman, and Gabriel Cousens. Plus, there are hours of more footage with the companion film, "Raw for Life Encyclopedia".

Check it out. This is a must have for everybody who cares about their health and the health of the planet:

Raw for 30 Days

To your health!

Debbie

Recommended Products:

Coconut Oil Promotes Weight Loss

2010-10-12T21:35:00.001-07:00

FACT: Surprisingly enough coconut oil, although being a saturated fat can actually make you lose weight.

This is due directly to the to the short and Medium-Chain Fatty Acids (also here referred as MCT*) that coconut oil is rich in.

Dr. Bruce Fife, N.D. makes a reference to a recent study published in the Journal of Nutrition in which researchers reviewed all the published studies to date on *Medium-Chain Triglycerides - MCT (also known as *Medium-Chain Fatty Acids) and weight management. Dr Fife, wrote that such studies demonstrated that diets containing MCT resulted in an "increase in energy, a rise in metabolism, increase burning of calories, decrease in food consumption, lower body fat mass, and reduce body weight. Because of these effects, the authors of this study recommend using oils containing MCT, such as coconut oil, as a means to lose excess body fat, control weight, and even treat obesity.".

Coconut oil also contains fewer calories than other oils; it's easier to digest and helps prevent bacterial, viral and fungal infections (including yeast). It will keep your skin soft and smooth, will act as a protective antioxidant, and is more nutritious than other oils. Above all, it will increase your body's metabolism making it possible to burn more energy and consequently help you in losing weight. Its MCT's get processed directly in the liver converting this fat into immediately available energy and also improving the absorption of other nutrients.

So what is the real difference between fats contained in coconut oil and other types of fats? Most fats in our diets are made of molecules known as Long-Chain Triglycerides (LCT). These are larger in size than the Medium-Chain Triglycerides (MCT). This difference between fats is of great significance because our bodies process these fats differently. While our bodies transform into readily available energy the MCT's contained in coconut oil, when it comes to the Long-Chain Triglycerides (LCT), types of fats that are present in lard, soy, corn, canola oil, etc., it will keep it stored as fat, because our bodies can not break them down. So, even though coconut oil is made up of around 85% of saturated fat, this fat is constituted of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids, which means that your body uses them as energy and will not be stored in your body.

What makes coconut oil so special is that one of its main MCT's is Lauric Acid, this MCT is considered as being of major importance. Lauric acid is also found in breast milk, and infants convert it into monolarin, which protects them from infections. So we might say that, the next best thing to mother's milk is coconut oil. Lauric Acid is especially beneficial for its anti-viral, antibacterial, antimicrobial, and capable of destroying lipid-coated viruses, such as herpes and influenza. The Lauric acid present in coconut oil has a long shelf life, is nontoxic and safe to handle.

Coconuts and Cocopura's oil! How to choose the best oil:
Our coconut oil is extra special because of its patented extraction method. Cocopura® oil is produced by a method called 'Direct Micro Expelling' (DME). The results are amazing! A full flavor oil with an extraordinary scent and of a remarkable superior quality. The 'Direct Micro Expelling' method simply means that our coconut oil is quickly produced within an hour of opening the nut! Making it a super efficient method, using Micro, i.e. smaller production scales, meaning that we use family sized farms with an efficient extraction method that produces an oil of superior quality.

*MCT's = Medium-Chain Triglycerides = MCFA's = Medium-Chain Fatty Acids.

Maple Syrup Is Your Tasty Food That Can Fight Cancer and Diabetes

2010-10-12T19:32:00.001-07:00

Today's post is provided by my very first "guest writer", Sandy Harris of Diabetic Snacks Blog. Sandy is very passionate about managing and preventing Diabetes. Like me, Sandy agrees that diet plays a very important part in prevention of Diabetes and other debilitating chronic diseases.

I know that you will find her article of great benefit. I encourage you to visit her blog, and share it with others. Thank you!

Maple Syrup Is Your Tasty Food That Can Fight Cancer and Diabetes

Are you looking for a natural solution to reduce the risk of diabetes and slow down the growth of cancer cells? Your search is probably over because recent studies have shown that maple syrup holds the key to these problems.

US researchers have found that maple syrup has the ability to substantially decrease the risk of diabetes. The syrup also showed great potential in slowing down the growth of cancerous cells.

Maple syrup has thirteen active antioxidant substances. These antioxidants were previously unknown but were discovered only recently. Because of these antioxidants, researchers have firmed up that maple syrup has a great potential in fighting cancer growth, diabetes, and infections.

Food for Diabetic Sufferers
Researchers found out that maple syrup contains phytohormone and abscisic acid. This acid is the primary agent that serves as an effective defense against diabetes and metabolic syndrome. The acid releases insulin through the pancreatic cells and can enhance the increased sensitivity of the fat cells to insulin. These actions proved that claims that maple syrup is very effective in controlling diabetes.
The studies were brought before the American Chemical Society in San Francisco. The results were reviewed by experts and other researchers.

Maple Syrup as Your Best Chance against Cancer
A study punished in the Journal of Medicinal Food showed that maple syrup can significantly inhibit the growth of cancerous cells. This study was conducted by Quebec scholars. It seeks to prove the impact of maple syrup against cancer cells.

Based on the Quebec research, the growth of cancer cells can be inhibited by maple syrup. Specifically, the syrup is very effective against brain, prostate, and lung cancer. Unfortunately, maple syrup has minimal impact against breast cancer growth.

Your Tasty Alternative to Fight Cancer and Diabetes
Maple syrup can serve as your tasty alternative in fighting cancer and diabetes. There are many anti cancer foods today like blueberries, tomatoes, broccoli, and carrots. However, recent studies have shown that maple syrup is more effective against cancer compared to other anti cancer foods.

Laboratory testing results also show that the syrup is more potent compared to the maple sap. It is also ideal to use the pure dark syrup rather than the lighter syrup. Dark syrup has high color oxidation. This is the reason why darker maple syrup should be preferred. So if you want a better alternative to fight cancer and diabetes, then your favorite maple syrup is a good option.

Reference: Journal of medicinal food. 01/02/2010; ISSN: 1557-7600, OI: 10.1089/jmf.2009.0029
About the Author - Sandy Harris writes for the diabetic diet blog , her personal hobby blog focused on tips to prevent, cure and manage diabetes using healthy snacks and recipes.

Consuming Kids - The "Truth" in Advertising!

2010-10-12T19:26:00.001-07:00

I love reading blogs and site posts using Google Reader. One of the sites I've been following lately is called Nutritionbase. Nutritionbase offers a variety of videos on the subject of health and nutrition, from remedies, factual data, to politics and religious views. There is so much to see and learn.

One of the videos I viewed this evening was on the subject of the multi-billion dollar marketing that targets kids to buy and consume everything from junk food, video games, and anything else these corporate industry giants want our children to consume. The program or film that the video is an excerpt from is called, "Consuming Kids". The story really shows the so-called "truth" in the advertising to our kids!

This particular video I am sharing with you is part 4 of 7. I think it's incredible how we have become as a "mass consuming" society. Even I have been unknowingly guilty of allowing my own child to be sucked in to this "mass consumption" nightmare! Truth is, a large majority of us have been conditioned into falling for this behavior. I feel it has had a great impact on us economically, socially, mentally, spiritually, environmentally, and physically. No wonder we have so much imbalance in our society these days!

I can only say that the next step is to learn all that we can about what we need to work on to find the balance, and to pass this on to our children in hopes that as they grow they will discover their own balance as well. We need to take back control of our lives! Part of this is to reprogram our thinking on how we utilize "consumption". We can start with what we allow our children and ourselves to be exposed to. Or, at least educate ourselves on how to better handle what we are observing, or rather "absorbing"!
Here's the link to the site. Let me know what you think about all this.

Peace!=)
- Debbie

Book Recommendations:

The Lazy Man’s Way to Reduce Bad Cholesterol

2010-10-12T00:37:00.000-07:00

I'm happy to introduce my guest writer for today's post, Deborah H. Land of Cholesterol Reduction Diet Site. Deborah's site helps raise awareness on healthy eating habits to support those living with high cholesterol. Please visit her site for more information. Enjoy the post!

a. The Myth of Good and Bad Cholesterol
There are actually two types of cholesterol, which is not a known fact for people who misconstrue it as something bad. HDL is the name of the good cholesterol, while the bad one is called LDL. A bloodstream with too much LDL will result in plaques in the arteries. Over time, blood will have a difficult time travelling your arteries because the opening becomes narrow thanks to the amount of bad cholesterol in it. Dietary cholesterol is not the culprit for your having high cholesterol in the blood. Rather, it is copious amounts of saturated fat along with Tran’s fat that is to blame for the tightening of the artery. To keep your cholesterol on the low level, you should eat plenty of unsaturated fats and fibrous foods, as well as exercise often.

b. Cholesterol Numbers and What They Mean
On an average, adults will usually need to have cholesterol checks every five years. Each time you get a cholesterol check it will yield four results – total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and Triglycerides. You will probably need more exercise and dietary change if you go above or below the healthy levels.

Total Cholesterol - less than 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L)
LDL Cholesterol - less than 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L)
HDL Cholesterol - greater than 40 mg/dL (1.0 mmol/L)
Triglycerides - less than 150 mg/dL (1.7 mmol/L)

c. Can Vitamin E Protect Your Heart?
Vegetable oils, nuts and leafy vegetables are good sources of Vitamin E. Vitamin E is not proven to stop you from getting a stroke, but it can lessen your heart disease risk level.

d. Five Great Foods to Lower Your Cholesterol
1. Oatmeal and Oat Bran: These contain a high amount of soluble fiber, which can lower LDL.
2. Fish: Fish is a great source of omega 3 fatty acids, which lowers LDL and raises HDL.
3. Nuts: Not only are nuts high in fiber, but they contain the healthy fats you need to keep LDL in check.
4. Plant Sterols: This is found in foods like margarine, salad dressing, orange juice, and functional cookies. 2 grams per day will lower your LDL by 10-15%.
5. Soy: This popular meat replacement can lower LDL by up to 3%.

e. Plant Sterols and its Healthy Benefits
Foods such as VitaTops Muffin Tops, Benecol Spread, granola bars and fat free milk are rich sources of plant sterols. You can easily help your heart when you start eating foods packed with plant sterols and avoid eating foods that contain saturated fats. A saturated fat-filled diet is not canceled out by this. Exercising often as well as eating healthy food will keep your cholesterol in check.

About the Writer - Deborah H. Land writes for cholesterol reduction diet site, her personal hobby blog she uses to help people lower bad cholesterol levels.

Raw Honey – Super Food Gold!

2010-10-09T02:15:00.002-07:00

Honey is one of the oldest and most superior super foods on the planet. The benefits of honey go back thousands of years. Honey has been referred to as “gold” just for its medicinal properties alone. Honey was the sweetener of choices for hundreds of years until the introduction of refined sugar and sugar cane. However, honey is making a big comeback – and it’s a good thing!

Honey boosts the immune system. Raw honey contains an abundance of disease-fighting antioxidants that provide a natural defense against cell damage. It is the perfect source for healing during the cold and flu season.

Honey aids the stomach and digestion, and does not ferment in the stomach. Since it is considered an inverted sugar, it is easily absorbed, preventing any bacterial invasion from occurring. Raw honey helps anemia, and the malnourished. It is easily absorbed, and enhances appetite. Honey-based diets and reduce weight gain, as well as the percentage of body fat. It improves HDL cholesterol, and improves blood sugar levels, making it the perfect, natural, sugar replacement source. Honey can also aid with overall brain health, decreasing anxiety, and improving memory.

Raw honey is a great source for increased energy, and a perfect food for athletes. Honey is the optimal source of carbohydrates for athletes to use, allowing for maximum performance levels.

Honey has a variety of other uses besides physical health and well-being. Honey is also used as an antiseptic, anti-fungal, and is a natural preservative. It can be used in lotions, soaps, mouth and teeth products, hair and scalp products, and a variety of medicines too. As a topical ointment, honey can heal skin wounds; heal skin burns, and other skin irritations.

The process in which honey is made is fascinating. It begins with bees eating from flowers, collecting the nectar in their mouths, and then carrying back to their hive. While in the bee’s mouth, the nectar mixes with certain enzymes found in the bee’s saliva, which is considered an alchemical process. This process is what turns the nectar into honey. When the bees return to the hive, the honey is then deposited into the cells of the hive’s walls. The honey’s moisture content is reduced from natural ventilation created by the fluttering of the bees’ wings.

Honey can be found in a variety of flavors, textures, and colors. The most commonly found varieties are honeys made from clover and lavender. The quality of honey is important. Most honeys are pasteurized, but raw honey is becoming more readily available. Only choose raw honey that has not been pasteurized, clarified, and if possible unfiltered. If the honey is filtered be sure that the process is of the highest quality and organic too.

My raw honey of choice is Honey Gardens Apitherapy Raw Honey – specifically Orange Blossom Apitherapy Raw Honey. It has perfect flavor and texture, and makes me feel great! Check out my product review here.

For all these reasons mentioned in this article, raw honey is definitely a SUPER FOOD, and one of the premium super foods at that! Here’s to honey!

Purchase Honey:

Lifestyle Impacts Health

2010-10-08T23:25:00.002-07:00

One's health is dependent upon one's choices. How you live your life - including what you eat, what you drink, what you do, and how you think, all impact your overall health and well-being.

A balanced diet and lifestyle equals good health.

It's about choices

It's apparent to me that our society is in great need of balance. Each year the number of obese and sickly people increases all as a result of our diet and lifestyle. Obesity and disease is not just limited to adults any more either. Our children and teenagers are suffering more now than ever, as a direct result of diet and lifestyle. It's about choices, it's about information, it's about life!

32% of Children ages 2 through 19 are overweight

According to the most recent statistics, compiled in 2007 by the National Institute of Diabetes (NID), diabetes affects an estimated 23.6 million people in the US, and was the fifth leading cause of death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and The Obesity Society (OS), showed 34% of the U.S. population age 20 and older, were obese in 2007-2008. This does not include all the people who are just considered overweight - which brings the percentage to 68%. Of children ages 2 through 19, at least 17% were obese, and 32% were overweight. Obesity is defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater. Obesity is a major risk factor for a variety of health ailments and disease, including but not limited to cardiovascular disease, certain types of cancer, and type 2 diabetes.

"Energy in" equals
"Energy out"

Both, being overweight or being obese are directly related to poor diet and lifestyle, which is all about "energy balance". "Energy in" equals "energy out" - in essence the amount of calories from food and drink equals "energy in". How the energy is then used by the body such as digesting, physical activity, even breathing, equals "energy out". The whole purpose behind eating food is not about flavor, taste, and how it emotionally makes us feel - it's about energizing our bodies by giving it the nutrients and fuel we need so that our bodies function efficiently. Without food our body's biological mechanisms would fail. We can't survive without food! So obviously, the foods we consumer greatly impact our bodies. Collectively our food choices directly affect our mind and body - what we eat can ultimately heal or hurt.

The best food choice is, of course, whole food. What is whole food? Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined. Typically they do not contain any added ingredients, such as sugar, salt, or fat. Whole foods are not necessarily organic. Since whole foods are unprocessed and unrefined, many foods of this type have a short shelf. Some ways in which the life of whole food is extended is by minimal processing, such as dehydrating, refrigerating or freezing, or possibly steaming or baking - that is where "cooking" has become a form of food preparation and preservation throughout history. However, over processing leads to poor quality food - in most cases, food becomes toxic. Food that is toxic does not properly assimilate in our bodies - disease, poor health, and obesity are usually the result.

"If it's a plant, eat it. If it was made in a plant, don't eat it."

Whole foods provide our bodies with the life force needed to properly absorb and assimilate the nutrients and fuel needed to efficiently energize and heal our bodies. So what foods are considered whole foods? Since whole foods are considered foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, foods such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, grains, nuts, sea greens, leafy greens, sprouts, unprocessed animal-based meats and non-homogenized milk would be the food of choice. However, it is quite difficult and somewhat dangerous to consume unprocessed animal-based meats and non-homogenized milk - which leaves the best food choice that of a raw vegetarian, mostly raw vegan based diet.

Throughout history, processed foods have benefited societies by extending the shelf life of certain foods, making food available to those areas which food is scarce, and providing quick meal options for families who have little time or money to properly feed their families - it hasn't come with it's problems. As more and more food companies find ways of squeezing more profit out of the food supply, more and more people suffer the results of this greed. Food today has been so bastardized by our society, that the concept of processing food for help is more about processing food for gluttony. We no longer are properly fueling our bodies.

Processed foods today are mostly made of poor quality, raw food products. Most processed foods often include flavoring additives, texture-enhancing agents, and chemicals to extend the life expectancy to unrealistic proportions - the food is no longer food! Most of these "commercially" processed foods have no nutritional value, therefore vitamins and minerals are artificially infused back into the finished food product. Foods labeled "enriched" and "fortified" mean artificial nutrients have been added back in. Believe it or not, these foods ultimately are more toxic then they are safe!

Food products labeled "natural ingredients" do not necessarily mean quality ingredients, or healthy ingredients. These commercially processed foods continue to be a main source of food supply for our society because of the cost concerns, and lack of consumer knowledge about the effects of substitute ingredients - even though studies and statistics show these foods cause severe health problems in pandemic proportions. These food products usually have a higher ratio of empty calories, resulting in weight gain and severe obesity.

Since processed foods has a major impact on the human diet, it's only common sense that the best way to fight obesity and poor health is by eliminating or greatly decreasing the amount of processed foods consumed on a daily basis, and increasing the amount of whole raw and living foods into the diet.

"We can't live without water!"

Hydration, or the lack of, is another essential key to eliminating disease and illness, and fighting obesity, increasing energy input and output, and overall health and well-being. Hydration is actually more essential to life than food. We can live without food - people fast all the time. But living without water is next to impossible - it leads to death. So water is the number one "food source" needed for survival. When you get right down to it, whole foods - living and raw foods are essentially filled with water - they are hydrated because they are filled with life force energy. So ultimately, water creates that energy input/output that helps our bodies assimilate the nutrient-rich food we eat in order to properly fuel and heal our bodies. Have you ever seen a healthy dehydrated being before? I haven't. When something is dehydrated, the life force has actually been sucked out of them - term, "suck the life out of them!"

Keeping it all in balance

Now that we know how food and drink impacts our energy input and output, what about lifestyle? Diet is actually a part of lifestyle. Your food choices are a part of "how you live". What you do with your time, such as working, sleeping, exercising, how you handle stress, all these things are considered a part of your "lifestyle". If the body does not get enough rest and relaxation, the body can not properly function, leading to poor digestion, brain dysfunction, and so forth. The body needs rest to heal properly. If you don't exercise or at least move, stretch, breath, your body can not properly function due to the lack of oxygen and blood flow moving to all the parts of the body. Also, physical movement helps keep the body flexible, strong, and safe from injury. If you don't stimulate your brain by reading, interacting, speaking, or watching, the brain becomes unhealthy, and eventually turns to "mush". Without a properly functioning brain the body would not have the right signals to health and protect itself. If you don't have your emotions in check, this too can create stress on the body, causing "false alarms", and interfere with the body's natural process for healing and thriving. You see, overall balance in your lifestyle, which includes diet and movement, mind over body, body over mind, all equate to good health and well-being. When these things are not in check obesity results, diabetes and disease results, and ultimately death.

Take the first step, and take back control of your life!

So now that we understand the importance of how our diet and lifestyle impacts our health and well-being, doesn't it make sense to focus on what we eat and how we live for ultimate happiness and success? It's really quite simple. It just takes the commitment and desire to make that change, to take that first step, to take back control over your own life, and thrive once again!

Books on Natural Health and Diet

Books on fighting obesity and disease the natural way.

Raw-Riffic Food's Raw Food Basics

2010-10-08T22:00:00.005-07:00

A book about transitioning to a raw food diet and lifestyle. Information, resources, and over 250 raw recipes. Written and published by Deborah C. Marsh, Raw-Riffic Food.

Get the latest raw food recipe book

by Deborah Marsh

Raw-Riffic Food's Raw Food Basics can help you learn how to incorporate more fresh raw and living foods into your every day life. It is a great resource for anyone interested in transitioning to a raw food diet and lifestyle, or wanting to learn more about it. There are more than 250 recipes that are simple, delicious to make - practically every basic component you need to know and get started for transitioning to a healthier way of eating. This creative and informative book is sure to be referred to again and again.

Here are just a few of the topics featured in the book:

Basic food prep
Basic nutrition and supplementation information
weight loss, and weight maintenance
super foods, sweeteners, and flavorings
resources, tips, and recommendations
over 250 delicious raw food recipes

"Over 250 Delicious and Creative Raw Food Recipes !"

Order your own copy of Raw Food Basics

available in paperback and as an e-book

Raw-Riffic Food's Raw Food Basics

Raw-Riffic Food's Raw Food Basics, Transitioning to a raw food diet and lifestyle
ISBN: 978-0-615-35538-2 (7 X 10, 310 pages)
Copyright: © 2010 Deborah C. Marsh Standard Copyright License
Publisher: Deborah C.Marsh
Language: English
Country: United States

"There are so many easy and great sounding recipes in her book "Raw-Riffic Foods", Raw Food Basics."

Here's what one reader had to say about the book!

Lois Underwood of Chandler, AZ

Lois writes:

"Congrats on your book! I think it's wonderful!

Debbie Marsh has done it!

She's written a book to learn how to eat healthier, in an understandable and doable way.

I had wanted to incorporate a healthy diet, but was frustrated with looking at recipes with ingredients I'd never heard of. I also wanted to know that I was choosing the right diet. There are so many different diets out there. How does one know which way to go? Debbie's Raw-Riffic Foods makes sense to me.

Things that Debbie taught me, in her book:

I learned how acidity forms in the body, making toxins. I for one, don't want toxins in my body, and yet based on the way that I have been living, they are there, and I plan to get rid of them.

Debbie taught me "the power of a lemon". Lemons are an internal body cleanser! Lucky me! I've got a lemon tree in back yard!

She taught me about digestion, and l learned about alternatives for the milk and cheeses that I've grown up with.

Debbie is passionate about the Raw Food diet and helping people realize the benefits of this lifestyle. I believe in her - I believe in the lifestyle of "eating raw" and her book is a perfect way to get started and/or to learn more about enjoying a "raw life". I encourage everyone to take on the challenge of "eating raw" the Debbie Marsh Way.

There are so many easy and great sounding recipes in her book "Raw-Riffic Foods", Raw Food Basics. We are talking of healthy Mayo, Catsup and relishes. There are sauces, chips, drinks, soups and stews. There are so many different salads, dressings and dinner ideas that you could never get bored with it. Then of course there are the deserts, such as; Apple-Pear Tart, Chocolate Swirl-Pumpkin Pie, Chocolate Truffles, Cranberry Coconut Cookies. I've experienced some of her ice cream, puddings & smoothies, and oh my gosh! They are such a treat - you won't believe it!

I strongly feel that incorporating the raw food diet is the right way to go and I will keep on this road while encouraging others to do the same."

Spicy African Flax Bread

page 118 of Raw Food Basics

Just a sample of one of my favorite raw flat breads found in the book, Raw Food Basics.

Raw-Riffic Food's Website and Blog

Sign-up with Raw-Riffic Food's website and blogspot for the latest updates

Many of the recipes from the book will be featured from time to time on the Raw-Riffic Food recipe blog. Also, you can find more information and resources about the raw food diet, health, and well-being from the Raw-Riffic Food website. You can access these links at http://www.RawRifficFood.com/.

Raw Food Basics:

about the raw food diet...

Raw and living food is the most nutritious food you could ever possibly eat. By consuming a diet high in raw and living food, not only does it benefit your health, it also supports the health of the planet. Eating a diet high in raw food is also easier on the digestion, and fights off disease, as well as obesity. Raw food is the key to superior health, looking younger, feeling stronger, being happier, and living longer. Eat a diet high in fresh, raw and living foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and feel the difference!

To learn more about the raw food diet, pick up your copy of Raw-Riffic Food's Raw Food Basics, or visit Raw-Riffic Food's website.

Raw-Riffic Food recommendations:

The Fat Tax Debate

2010-10-01T23:15:00.000-07:00

Should There Be A Tax On Fatty Foods?

There is a lot of debate surrounding the proposed law that would tax fatty foods, such as fast food restaurant foods. It's regarded as the "Fat Tax" and it's a very serious thing! Just as tobacco and alcohol now have a higher special tax, so would the "fatty food" industry. This came about as a "call to action" because of the epidemic proportions of obese people in the U.S., as well as the world. We seem to be getting fatter and fatter every year! In just the past 10 years, the rate of obesity has dramatically increased from 200 million to 300 million. Now that's a lot of FAT! In fact, obesity is running rapid all across the globe, mostly due to the Western way of eating being introduced into the cultures of other countries - "Welcome McDonald's and Burger King!"

The idea behind this "fat tax" is the hope that it would create a small deterrent towards the consumption of these high-fat, poor nutrient foods, resulting in the reduction of obesity. The idea of a "fat tax" has also been suggested to other countries as well. By reducing the amount of obese people, the excessive costs for health care will also be reduced - which is universally great for both individuals and society! Obesity is a serious epidemic, leading to a large number of health problems, including high blood pressure, heart diseases, diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune disorders (to name a few). Obesity causes hundreds of thousands of deaths each year for both young and old. Something needs to be done. People shouldn't be so arrogant when others try to educate and help with eating a more nutritious diet to cleanse and heal their bodies. Fast food, no matter how you break it down, is not fresh nutritious food. "Sorry, it's the fat and sugars that make you crave more!"

"Should there be a tax on fatty foods?"

People are Getting Fatter and Fatter Every Year at Epidemic Proportions!

The debate for a fat tax is an issue - people want to have a choice!

The debate for a fat tax becomes an issue, since a large number of people do not want their government telling them how to live, and making them pay for it. There is the issue that diet is not the only consideration for overall health - but exercise needs to be looked at too. Then there is the concern about eating disorders for those with physiological disorders - not directly related to "fatty foods" so to speak. Since much of the public is over weight or obese, the idea of this fat tax has been up against much criticism - most people do not like to be told they have a "problem" - much less pay for it. They want to have the choice.

Well, choice or not, freedom from governed control or not, we have a serious pandemic on our hands! Look around you, every day I meet more and more people, from very young to very old, suffering from serious chronic illnesses, and diseases. People are suffering and dying, right and left, all from how they live and eat! We are a country "hopped-up" on pharmaceuticals to survive. We can't live without our chemicals, because our food is poison! We are like drug addicts. The pusher is the big pharmaceutical companies, and corporate food monsters - they are pushing us into the need. We are addicted to these poisons! We spend millions and billions of dollars every year as a society paying for our bad food and bad health! We are so worried about being regulated and controlled - yet we already are! It's just that it's not the government - it's Corporate America!

Obesity is a Disease of the Industrial Era!

A "fat tax" may not be the answer - but something needs to be done!

I don't know if a "fat tax" is the answer. But I do know that we all have to do something. A healthy body and healthy mind are very important to successful survival of the planet and our species. If we care at all about our future, we need to take care of our present. We can help heal the planet, heal the economy, heal our bodies and minds, and heal our souls by taking back our health, eating fresh raw and living foods, minimizing the amount of processed, packaged foods, sustaining the planet in the process, and thriving as a species! Obesity is the disease of the industrial era. We were not born to be fat! We were born to thrive on the fruits of the earth! So, "fat tax" or not, we need to do something to motivate and educate the public to take back control. Perhaps we tax the corporate giants who impose this sickness upon us. Make them pay! Or perhaps we all ban together, creating programs to make being healthy through natural sustainable means possible, affordable, and attainable. Think about it... "Should there be a tax on fatty foods?"

Take Back Control of Your Health!

Consider a Raw Food Diet - Learn More!

What is your opinion on the subject? I want to hear from you...

Why You Should Eat Raw Food

2010-10-01T21:18:00.000-07:00

Benefits Of Eating A High Raw And Living Food Diet
"Why should you eat a high raw food diet?" people ask.

Well, it's very simple really. Eating fresh raw and living foods is the best way to nourish, heal, and maintain the body, creating optimal well-being, and longevity.

So you are probably wondering then, "Okay then, so what's wrong with the food we eat now?"

"Nothing really, unless you are one of many people who eat mostly from a Standard American Diet (SAD), which includes a lot of processed, chemically treated, over heated, genetically modified food, that's loaded with sugar, refined flour, MSG, and your meals are heavy on the animal flesh, dairy, and so forth..."

The PROBLEM with the SAD diet is that these foods are not only hard on the digestive system, but don't provide adequate nourishment for the body. If anything, for the minimal amount of nutrients absorbed, most bodies end up overworking the digestive system to breakdown the food, resulting in elimination difficulties, inability to absorb nutrients necessary to fight against autoimmune disorders, and just overall poor health.

"Why do you think so many people on the planet have hard protruding guts, and are overweight? Or the thousands of people who suffer from diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, chronic fatigue, IBS - the list of illnesses and diseases go on!"

It's Simple
Change the way you eat, and improve your health!

It's Because Of The Way You Eat!

"It most certainly is BECAUSE OF THE WAY YOU EAT!"

That's why, the solution is SIMPLE. Change the way you eat, and improve your health! I'm not saying you have to be a purest. I'm saying you have to at least make the effort to eliminate those food items (if you can call it food) from your diet indefinitely!

The best food to eat is fresh raw fruits, vegetables, sprouts, leafy greens, seaweed, nuts and seeds. However, it's important to remember that a balanced diet still means balance. So, be sure to eat a variety of these foods, since each group provides certain nutrients and minerals necessary for the body to thrive.

Transitioning is not as hard as you think either! I made the change just two years ago, and I'm glad I did! Not only have I lost a lot of weight naturally, but I have also improved my over health tremendously! I no longer suffer from chronic IBS symptoms, or fatigue, I have a lot more energy, and look and feel younger - and my chronic back pain is basically non-existent...what more could I ask for? I feel GREAT! It's all because of RAW FOOD.

To learn more about the raw food diet, check out the recommended book list below; or visit my website at Raw-Riffic Food. You can find numerous resources, tips, articles, sign-up for my e-newsletters and updates, links to my recipe blogs, and a whole lot more.

In conclusion, the benefits of eating a high raw and living food diet is endless! I have only touched on a few of the ones I considered to be the most obvious and important ones.

"If you want to feel great, look great, and live a long, and joyous life - that's every reason why you should EAT RAW FOOD!"

Article written by Debbie Marsh, Raw-Riffic Food. All rights reserved 2009©

Note. The statements claimed in this article are based on personal research and experience, and have not been evaluated by an authority of any sort. I encourage you to take responsibility for your own health, research, experience, and find what is best for you. Peace!

That's why you should eat Raw Food!

Recommended Reading:

The Great Raw Food Exchange

2010-10-01T21:02:00.000-07:00

Transition to a raw food diet with great recipe alternatives!

Eating a diet high in raw food does not have to be boring. You can create incredible meals that are full of flavor, super nutritious, and remind you of your old cooked and processed favorites - but better!

Some of the hardest foods to give up in the Standard American Diet (SAD) is anything made with dairy, like cheese, milk, ice cream, and yogurt; as well as chips, bread, pasta, and eggs. The cool thing about eating a "raw" version of these delicious - but "bad for you" foods, is the raw version not only is better for you, but it's such a close reminder of your old favorites but better! You may not agree at first, but the more you incorporate raw foods into your diet, the more creative you can be, you will start to notice the difference. You will notice how oily, salty, sugary, and just plain "blah" the old standards are - while the raw versions taste fresh, alive, flavorful, and just down right yummo!

There are hundreds of raw food recipe blogs and sites to search, and tons of fabulous raw food recipe books! One of my first raw recipe sites I ever visited was Gone Raw. It's become a super large raw food community that shares wonderful recipes for all to try. One of my all time favorite raw recipe books is Ani Phyo's Ani's Raw Food Kitchen. The recipes are quick, simple, and down right tasty. I've had such a blast with my raw food preparations, that I created my own raw recipe blog, Raw-Riffic Food's Recipe Blog. Check it out sometime.

Just to give you an idea how SAD favorites are exchanged for raw food favorites, here's a brief list:

Breads And Crackers - exchanged for unleavened flax, nut, and vegetable based breads and crackers dehydrated to the desired texture (although not a full replacement to bread - definitely a great substitution that grows on you quickly!)

Butter - exchanged for raw hemp butter, or raw coconut butter. Just add a little sea salt to them and you have a sweet and creamy butter spread.

Corn Chips - exchanged for corn chips made with flax seed and fresh corn, dehydrated instead of baked or fried. Definitely the best replacement for corn chips ever! You can still dip your chips into some flavorful raw salsas too.

Chocolate - exchanged for CHOCOLATE (or raw cacao). I have to tell you, the best chocolate in the world has to be RAW CHOCOLATE! It's dark, it's creamy, and perfectly sweet. Most raw chocolates are made with agave, or dates, maple, super food powders, raw coconut butter or oil, and lots and lots of raw cacao! Once you start eating a raw chocolate candy bar, you will never enjoy the standard chocolate bars again - seriously!

Dairy Milk - exchanged for nut milk (usually made with soaked almonds, purified water, and a few dates).

Dairy Cheese Spreads - exchanged for nut or cheese based cheeses (some of the best nut cheeses are made from soaked cashews).

Dairy Whipped Cream - exchanged for coconut or macadamia nut based creams (these raw versions are so light, creamy, and out of this world - they will become a real favorite).

Ice Cream - exchanged for either a frozen banana mixture, or a coconut-based mixture, or a nut-based mixture (preferably cashews). Raw ice cream has to be one of my favorites. You don't even need an ice cream maker to make it!

Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners exchanged for dates, raw agave nectar - but the best choice would be stevia! Choose stevia brands that are naturally processed with water and no added chemicals or artificial fillers, such as SweetLeaf Stevia - the number one GRAS approved brand!

Tuna - exchanged for a nut and seaweed based mix (this is all about the spices, and soaked nuts you use - as well as the seaweed. Add a little avocado mayo, and you have your self a mighty tasty mock tuna salad - Great for sushi too!)

This list could go on and on and on - but you get the idea! So don't worry about what you are going to eat while transitioning to a raw food diet, there are so many options you for exchange you can't go wrong. The most important thing is to eliminate as much of the SAD processed foods from your diet as possible, and to eat as much of the raw and living foods as possible. The raw food exchange is there to help make it easier for you.

Be sure to check out as many raw food recipe blogs, websites, videos, and books to help inspire you and give you that necessary push to make the change, and have fun while you do it!

Go Raw!

Raw Food Diet - Book Recommendations:

Swiss Chard - Super Green Nutrition!

2010-09-29T11:22:00.000-07:00

As most of you know, dark leafy greens are considered Mother Nature’s Super Food. There are a large variety of these wonderful nutrient-dense greens to try. Swiss Chard is one of those super greens.

Swiss Chard is a tall leafy green vegetable with a thick stalk that crunches when you eat it. The stalks can be found in a variety of colors, such as white, red or yellow – white stalks are more desirable as they are more tender. The leaves are wide and fan-like, and dark green in color. Chard has a similar taste profile as spinach and beet greens. It’s salty yet slightly bitter. Both the stalk and the leaves are edible. Although it’s more common to eat cooked chard, raw chard is just as delicious and actually much healthier for you. Raw chard can be tossed in a salad, used to make wraps or roll-ups, good in smoothies, and great for juicing!

Swiss Chard is known for its health benefits too. Chard has a combination of phytonutrients plus fiber, and is effective in preventing digestive tract diseases such as cancer. Chard also has an effect on kidneys, by reducing serum urea and creatinine levels, which is helpful for those who suffer with diabetes.

Swiss Chard is also one of the most vitamin and mineral rich greens you can eat. Chard is an excellent source of vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, magnesium, manganese, potassium, iron, vitamin E, and of course, dietary fiber. “No need for supplementation here! Eat lots of Swiss Chard!” In addition, Chard is also a great source of calcium, copper, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, folate, protein, phosphorus, niacin, and zinc.

Because of the “super” rich source of vitamins and minerals, Swiss Chard is a great food to eat to maintain eye and bone health, digestive health, and prevent a variety of cancers, including skin cancer and colon cancer. Chard is rich in antioxidants too since it’s an excellent source of vitamin C. Eating a diet high in Swiss Chard can also prevent strokes, due to the high levels of potassium-rich, and it’s great for the heart!

Swiss Chard is a super energizer, since it’s a great source of protein and iron. Chard is an all around SUPER GREEN FOOD! Be sure to eat lots of it! Swiss Chard is available all year round! However, Swiss Chard doesn’t stay fresh for long, so be sure to eat it right away. Only select Chard leaves that are crisp, and rich in color, have no brown spots, or holes. Organic is always best too! If the leaves are wilting, then don’t bother with it – the Chard is done and isn’t fresh. Don’t wash it until you are ready to prepare and eat it. This will slow down the wilting process, and keep it fresh and alive.

So be sure to try some delicious, nutritious, super green, Swiss Chard! You’ll do the body good!

For a delicious and simple recipe using Swiss Chard, link here.

Raw-Riffic Food, February 21, 2010

“Why Raw-Foodist Have Problems With Their Teeth”

2010-09-29T00:07:00.000-07:00

“How to avoid dental decay, gum disease and erosion for good”
Written by Frederic Patenaude

To anyone involved in the raw-food and vegan movement or to anyone who cares about their health, please pass along this letter to as many people as possible.

Research and practical experience has demonstrated that raw-foodists get more problems with their teeth than the average American. This is a very unfortunate situation, since the dental health of Americans is already very bad.

One of the few scientific studies done in Germany on the health of raw-foodists showed that they get more cavities and more dental erosion than the rest of the population. This has been observed by nearly every single raw-food leader and author I have talked to, which have seen that the dental health of raw-foodists is indeed, very bad.

I am sharing this information with you because this issue is very dear to me. Due to the misinformation that I have received through reading raw-food books and listening to bad advice from many leaders in the raw-food and natural hygiene movement, and also due to my own ignorance, my dental health has suffered tremendously. Before becoming a raw-foodist, at the age of 20, and with no special care in my diet or dental hygiene, I had a few fillings only. After 4 years on a raw or mostly raw vegan diet, I got 19 cavities. Even then, with renewed efforts in order to reverse the situation, the decay pursued its course and I got other cavities.

This unfortunate situation led me to find the truth and lies about dental decay and gum disease and this is why I am sharing this information with you today.

By carefully following the advice below I have been able to reverse the situation and even re-enamelize some of my teeth.

Understand this: Only one thing can cause tooth decay, erosion and gum disease: acidity. The acidity can come from the foods you eat, or be produced by acid producing bacteria that live in the mouth. These bacteria live of sugar and decomposed food particles. If the teeth are clean, if acidity is removed from the teeth promptly, if sugar is not allowed to remain in the mouth for very long and if enough minerals are present in the diet to build strong, decay-resistant teeth, you will avoid erosion and never have problems with your teeth and gums ever again.

The reasons why raw-foodists have problems with their teeth are the following:

After eating, the PH in the mouth drops to a more acid state. It takes 1-2 hours for it to go up. If you are snacking often, like most raw-foodists are, the PH in the mouth will stay acid. This is a perfect environment for bacteria to do their work and produce even more acids that will create tooth decay. But this will not occur if the following factors are not present.
Raw foodists eat too much dried fruit and too many dehydrated foods. Dried fruit and dehydrated foods encourage tooth decay and gum disease. Dried fruit and dehydrated foods stick to the teeth and provide PERFECT nourishment for the acid-producing bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease. This includes all dried fruit, fruit bars, trail mixes, dehydrated crackers, raw “burgers,” as well as nuts and seeds (although nuts and seeds do not have a negative impact on the teeth if they are eaten in moderation. Soaking them in advance is better).
Raw-foodists eat too many acid foods. Acid foods have a negative impact on the teeth. Those include lemon juice, fruit juice, citrus fruit, unripe fruit, vinegar and other acid foods.
Constant contact with sugary foods encourages tooth decay and gum disease. If your teeth are in constant contact with sugar, even the natural sugars in the form of coconut water, honey, dried fruit, fruit juice or other sugary foods — tooth decay will occur. It is not okay to sip coconut water all day long, drink fruit juices, and snack often on sugary foods.
Raw diets can be deficient in many important alkaline minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, that are necessary to build strong enamel. Sufficient levels of vitamin D and phosphorus are also necessary to build strong teeth. Those nutrients can be obtained in a balanced diet.

If the following measures are taken, dental decay and gum disease can be prevented and teeth can be healed up to their potential. Realize that this is the very minimum you can do to insure healthy teeth for life.

1. Rinse your mouth with water during and after eating, especially when eating fruit and acid foods. Rinsing your mouth with water during and after meals will help prevent tooth decay. Water and other neutral liquid wash out acidity. Whole fresh fruit will have no negative impact on the teeth if the acids are removed promptly from the teeth by sipping water as you eat and rinsing your mouth with water after you’re done eating. Whenever you eat fruit, rinse your mouth with water immediately after the meal. And as you are eating your fruit, sip on some water too. An even better idea would be to eat celery after every fruit meal.

2. After eating certain high-sugar fruits that tend to leave residues on the teeth, you should floss and brush your teeth (just water and a brush is fine).

Those sweet fruits are: bananas, dates, really ripe figs, persimmons, mangoes, cherimoyas, durian, jackfruit, sapodilla, sugar apple, sweet sapote, mammey, etc. You can also eat greens after a meal of such fruits, but brushing your teeth is a good idea.

After eating other types of juicy fruits, it is not necessary to brush your teeth, but it is still a good idea to finish that meal with greens (such as lettuce and celery), and/or swich water in your mouth (you can also use water mixed with some Celtic sea salt, to restore alkalinity in the mouth environment).

Those juicy fruits include all the following and more: citrus fruits, apples, grapes, kiwis, pineapple, berries, melons, papaya, pears, peaches, plums, litchi, etc.

3. Avoid dried fruits and dried foods. Dried fruit and dehydrated foods are NOT raw foods and are not health foods. Replacing the oven with a dehydrator is not a good move. Eat fresh foods, not dried foods. However, if you happen to eat some dried fruit or dehydrated foods, eat an apple or some celery after, and brush your teeth as soon as possible.

4. You should try brushing your teeth with bar soap. According to Dr. Gerald Judd, Ph.D: “Re-enamelization of the teeth occurs when they are clean. All toothpastes make a barrier of glycerine on the teeth which would require 20 rinses to get it off. A good solution for clean teeth, which I have used for 5 years, is bar soap. Wet the brush, swipe the bar two or three times with it, then brush the teeth thoroughly and the gums gently. Rinse with water three or four times. All oils are washed off the teeth and the gums are disinfected. The bacteria are killed by the soap. The teeth are then ready for re-enamelization with calcium and phosphate in the diet.” You can use any regular bar soaps. Find one that you like. It takes some time getting used to it — but you teeth will never feel so clean.

5. Avoid constant contact with sugar. It is okay to eat a lot of fruit, but have it all in a few meals, rather than snacking on it throughout the day. Also avoid sipping on fruit juice, coconut water, etc.

6. Insure proper nutrition. In order to build strong, decay-resistant teeth, certain important minerals must be present in the diet. Particularly important are calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D.

7. Remove food particles. It is not necessary to floss, but food particles that get caught in-between the teeth and along the gum line must be removed. You can use dental floss or learn to use a tooth pick. It is important to do this once or twice a day.

8. Research shows that it's more important HOW WELL we brush rather than HOW OFTEN we brush. A good brushing with a soft brush takes 2-3 minutes. Same for flossing. Reach every corner of your teeth and do a thorough job. Two such thorough brushings followed or preceded by flossing per day is enough.

Had this simple information been presented to me, I would have saved $4000 in dental work and avoided the trauma of dealing with dental problems.

Had this simple information not been presented to me, the decay would have continued its course, leading to worse problems that would have required: root canals, crowns, teeth extractions and ultimately the demise of my teeth.

“Frederic Patenaude, is the author of the best-selling e-book "The Raw Secrets". He is currently giving away free access to his private library of over 100 exclusive articles along with a subscription to his newsletter Pure Health & Nutrition. Visit http://www.fredericpatenaude.com while charter subscriptions last.”

What Is A Super Food?

2010-09-29T00:06:00.000-07:00

"Discover the simple secrets to super-charging your life with the power of super food nutrition!"

Super foods are exceptionally high in nutrition, and have health benefits above and beyond the basic functioning of average foods. The best super foods are the raw and living super foods that are high in pytonutrients, and antioxidants. Super foods are considered functional food or medicinal food.

Raw nutrition expert and author, David Wolfe, has written several books on the importance of raw super food nutrition. His latest book, Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future, focuses on the top ten super foods for optimal health and well-being; foods such as goji berries, raw cacao (raw chocolate), blue-green algae, maca, hemp and bee pollen, to name a few. Incorporating these raw foods into your daily diet will bring optimal health results, including increased energy, and longevity. I highly recommend this book for anyone who believes that great health can be achieved through natural means.

Since dark leafy greens are considered SUPER FOOD, I like to combine these greens with a few of David Wolfe's "top ten" super foods for the best super-charged green smoothie ever! Goji berries go great with fruit smoothies, and with green smoothies. Hemp makes a great "seed" milk as an alternative to dairy, soy, or nut milks. Very flavorful, and packed with super nutrition. Blueberries are also considered a super food. Combine blueberries with raw cacao for a super-chocolaty, super-charged raw shake that will energize you and provide protection against disease and illness due to the high content of antioxidants. "Isn't it great to know you don't have to give up chocolate? Just processed chocolate - that's okay, because once you've tried raw chocolate you'll never want the processed junk again!"

In conclusion, not only can you replace meals with a food efficient smoothie, you can take it up a notch and have a super-charged, super food green smoothie for optimal health and well-being. "Now that's a true 'no diet' diet!"

Optimal Food Efficiency With Raw Superfood

2010-09-29T00:05:00.000-07:00

"Is it really possible for you to achieve optimal health and wellness just by drinking a smoothie? What if you could look younger, feel better and have more energy by simply enjoying a 'NO diet' diet?"

Drinking smoothies, raw smoothies, is one of the most efficient ways to eat for optimal health and well-being. It enables the body to process the food quickly and easily, allowing for maximum absorption of nutrients, fueling the body faster, and enables proper elimination of waste (which there isn't very much of). This is because smoothies are easier on the digestion than solid foods.

Drinking raw smoothies is TRUE Optimal Food Efficiency!

The digestive system requires several hours to breakdown meals. Some meals, which include animal fats and protein take up to 24 hours or more to breakdown - that's very hard on the body. Another reason why smoothies are a more efficient food source is because part of the difficulty in digesting is due to the composition of the food when it's eaten. We are supposed to chew our food to the point that it becomes mush before the food enters our digestive track. However, the average person eats so much, so quickly, paying little attention to chewing, that the digestive system has to work overtime just to break the food down in order for the body to absorb the necessary nutrients.

Because it takes so long to break this excess of un-chewed food, the food swallowed becomes rancid and toxic to the body, causing it to literally clog our system and void elimination and proper absorption of nutrients. This causes all kinds of digestive illnesses, blood disorders, elimination disorders, weight gain, malnutrition, and disease. All these ailments caused from improper eating and digestion will lead to stress on the heart, liver, lungs, and brain - speeding up the aging process, depriving you of optimal health and well-being, and eventually resulting in death.

That's more than enough reason to consider drinking more smoothies - RAW SMOOTHIES!

So why does it have to be raw?

Well, raw smoothies are made from raw, fresh, and living ingredients - preferably organic. If you depend on drinking smoothies made from cooked or processed ingredients, you are missing the point of "feeding" your body with nutrition.

According to Wikipedia, "Food processing is the set of methods and techniques used to transform raw ingredients into food or to transform food into other forms for consumption by humans or animals either in the home or by the food processing industry. Food processing typically takes clean, harvested crops or slaughtered and butchered animal products and uses these to produce attractive, marketable and often long-life food products. Similar process are used to produce animal feed."

Most of these bad processed foods include everything from canned food, packaged snack foods, and convenience foods, frozen meals, processed meats and dairy products, food products made with refine white flour, candy, soda - you name it! Most of the food products carried in the local grocery store is NOT REAL FOOD - it's processed!

"Why is it bad for you?" It's bad for you because the fresh and natural food that was used to make it was transformed through the use of chemical additives, flavorings, and preservatives, high levels of sodium, bleached flours, corn sugars, saturated fats, MSG, food dyes, and whatever else needed to make the food look and taste appealing, while preserving the life of the food on the shelf. Granted, the original intent of preserving the food was for good reason - but now it's out of control! People don't eat food any more - we eat chemicals! No wonder we're sick! "You get the point!"

"What are the best types of raw smoothies to drink?"

Well, variety is always best for a balanced diet. Fresh fruit smoothies are wonderful, but green smoothies will provide the best overall nutrition. I personally drink a fruit smoothie in the morning and two green smoothies during the day. Green smoothies are best when made with dark leafy greens such as raw spinach, kale, and Romaine lettuce. Dark leafy greens are considered some of the most nutrient-rich foods on the planet. These are the true living SUPER FOODS!

To sweeten up the greens, add one or two bananas, or chunks of fresh mango, peaches, or berries. Apple and pear go great with greens too. I will also add fresh coconut water, or purified water, or even freshly made nut milk to the mix. These smoothies are refreshing, packed with nutrition, easy on the digestion, and energizing too!

Fruit smoothies and green smoothies make great meal replacements too! Simple, fast, and with minimal clean-up! "Now that's food efficiency!"

Article written by Debbie Marsh, Raw-Riffic Food. All rights reserved 2009©

Note. The statements claimed in this article are based on personal research and experience, and have not been evaluated by an authority of any sort. I encourage you to take responsibility for your own health, research, experience, and find what is best for you. Peace!

Recommended Reading:

Brain Conditioning and Maintenance

2010-09-29T00:03:00.001-07:00

8 Ways to Increase Brain Function and Improve Brain Health:

1) Eat healthy snacks, such as raw almonds, walnuts and blueberries. These snacks help improve cognition, and keep the brain functioning correctly due to the high antioxidant properties, and omega-3s. Walnuts can improve mood and reduce inflammation that can lead to killing brain cells. It also replaces the loss of melatonin, also necessary for a healthy, happy brain.

2) "Dance the night away!" Dancing is a super-power brain activity that activates brain motor centers that form new neural connections. It also reduces brain stress.

3) Go for a walk. Walking helps blood flow to the brain, and lowers blood sugar, improving clear thinking.

4) Believe it or not - play video games! Video games that offer brain teasers, and challenge you to master the computer, all boost the formation of new neural connections, and help with response time and memory - plus it's lots of fun!

5) Stimulate the brain by learning something new, reading, or doing cross word puzzles, and so forth. All these activities help keep the mind fresh, and active, and help with preventing dementia - and learning something new is always beneficial.

6) Find ways to relieve undue stress, as well as control anger. Don't allow the stress of anger, or stressful relations overwhelm you. Take time to cool down, and retreat. Chronic anger, and stressful situations, creates chronic stress and shrinks the memory centers in the brain. Get support to help cope better, and learn new ways of interacting and managing stress.

7) Mediate. Meditation helps lessen feelings of depression and anxiety.

8) Get plenty of restful sleep. Poor sleep or lack of rest is one of the most detrimental things to the brain. Sleeping is when the brain consolidates memories. Medical conditions that cause sleep deprivation, anxiety, depression, or insomnia, interfere with rest and can cause more serious brain health issues. Try relaxing or meditating before bed, even light yoga - anything that will reduce the stress hormone, cortisol.

Books on Brain Health

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Brain Health And Raw Food

2010-09-29T00:02:00.001-07:00

Eat, Think, And Be Healthy - Raw Food The Optimal Brain Food

I decided to tackle the topic of food versus raw foods and the impact it has on brain health and function. I believe this article will provide a very strong argument for reconsidering the way you and your family eat. Hopefully you will think twice before allowing you or your family the option of eating foods that are processed, or include refined flours and sugars, GMO foods, MSG, sodas, deep fried foods, and so forth - you get the point! These foods are not only poison to the blood, poison to the gut, poison to the body - they are SIGNIFICANTLY POISONOUS TO THE BRAIN!

Please understand my intention is not to make you feel guilty for what you have been eating or what you have been feeding your family. However, it is my intent to make you very aware of the information that is out there to help you make better choices so that you may protect yourself and your family from any undue harm, and to create a more fulfilling life abundant in good health and well-being.

For thousands of years, Oriental philosophers have studied the effects of food on the mind. Based on the research that I found, the concept of certain foods creating certain moods really makes sense to me when I apply it to my own reality.

Pure foods, consisting primarily of fresh fruits and vegetables were considered calming, producing clarity and tranquility within the mind.

Stimulating foods consisting of spices, meat, onions and such create animalistic behaviors such as restlessness and an unsatisfied mind. These are direct causes of emotional outbreaks, and anxiety disorders.

Impure foods consisting of processed, preserved, or putrefied foods are known to decrease thinking, and dull the senses, as well as contribute to chronic mental disorders and illnesses. Plus, these types of foods directly accelerate the aging process.

Although these are just studies and many people may disregard these claims, if you truly analyze it, these examples fit pretty closely to how a lot of people live and act.

Face it, what you eat affects all parts of your being - physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, spiritually, ethically, physiologically - "You are what you eat!"

More examples of how the food we eat can affect your brain:

Many people knowingly and unknowingly suffer from food allergies, such as wheat products. Wheat has been known to cause aggressive behaviors and emotional outbursts.

Eating foods high in fat will dull the mind and cloud thinking. This is because fat digestion is so demanding on the body that much of the body's blood is diverted away from the brain to the digestion, resulting in slower processing of thoughts, as well as mild depression. So obviously, if someone is eating an extreme diet high in fats, the effects on the brain will be much more dramatic and damaging - with the possibility of complete personality transformations, and mental breakdowns.

The brain basically competes with the heart, liver, muscles, lungs, and fat cells for blood sugar (known as glucose). This is considered a simple sugar which causes too much insulin to be released into the blood stream, resulting in low blood sugar. This can lead to hypoglycemia, which can and will damage the brain if not properly treated.

Consuming white sugar will deplete the body of B-vitamins. B-vitamins are important for preventing nervousness and mental depression. Most people who suffer from anxiety and mental disorders usually are deficient in B-vitamins. White sugar has been linked to emotional outbreaks from children, especially with adolescents. This is mostly in part because of the large consumption of sodas and candy consumed on a regular basis by the average child. Long-term sugar consumption can lead to serious and chronic blood-sugar problems, which could manifest as diabetes or hypoglycemia. Or even, depression, irritability, and severe anxiety. SUGAR KILLS!

Foods that are cooked (specifically over-cooked) or preserved with additives and chemicals are considered poison to the body, as these foods saturate the bloodstream with toxins that directly interfere with brain function.

Mental and emotional health is a direct result of the nutritional balance of the body. If foods that are low in nutrition, or high in toxins are consumed, than mental and emotional health declines rapidly. If foods high in nutrients are consumed, than mental and emotional health greatly improves. It's as simple as that!

I'm sure many of you are aware of the serious dangers to be had from the consumption of aspartame and monosodium glutamate (MSG). Most processed foods, including sodas, gum, and many packaged dried foods include these ingredients. These additives or flavor enhancers include a substance called ex-ci-to-tox-in. This substance purposely stimulates neurons to the death, resulting in various degrees of brain damage, or harm to the brain and nervous system, resulting in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Lou Gehrig's Disease (ALS), and others. THIS KILLS!

While alcohol, tobacco, and illegal drugs are truly killers too - we must remember that these items are regulated, and there are laws to force people to take responsibility when making choices to indulge in these things. However, there is no protection or accountability for the FOOD WE EAT. There are no campaigns or legal actions to prevent families from feeding their children and themselves greasy fast-food burgers, or sodas by the case full, over indulging in large amounts of "non" foods. Even our pets are subjected to this unhealthy way of living, by feeding them table scraps, or processed pet foods. In fact, as long as there is FDA approval for these things, and cultural acceptance due to complacency or ignorance, our species will continue to grow sicker and fatter - It wouldn't surprise me if we became extinct!

Have you taken notice on how there are more and more cases of physiological disorders in children and adolescents then ever before. We suffer from ADHD, ADD, OCD, depression, panic disorder, anxiety disorder, bi-polar%u2026the list goes on! It can all be directly linked to what they eat, and how they are encouraged to live their life.

It's time to TAKE ACTION, and start taking care of our health by taking responsibility for what we put in our bodies.

Foods that heal and feed the brain:

The more raw food you include in your diet, and the less process foods you consume, the healthier your body and your brain will feel. Since mental illness is usually caused from a severe hormonal and chemical imbalance in the brain, consuming animal flesh is not a good choice for brain health. Animal flesh is pumped with hormones, pesticides, and causes high levels of acidity which causes these hormonal imbalances. Eating a high raw and organic diet will eliminate these issues, and regulate body chemistry for a healthier mind.

Not only does the body create waste, but so does the brain. Toxins and excess fat contribute to impaired brain function, causing the brain cells to accumulate cellular garbage or "lipofuscin", which is a by-product of fats and toxins. This brain garbage will kill and damage the neurons in your brain leading to serious brain damage. Raw and living foods place little or no toxic matter in the body, helping in the prevention of oxidation in the brain, and decreasing or eliminating this type of brain garbage from occurring.

The brain needs foods rich in iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc for proper functioning. Other nutrients to consider include trace minerals, including Chromium and Selenium. Phosphorous, manganese, inosital, boron, B vitamins (including folic acid), bioflavonoids, phytochemicals, and antioxidants are also all very important to proper brain function and health.

Did you know that magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body? Increasing magnesium intake is beneficial for all functions of the body. Good sources of magnesium include pumpkin, flax, sesame, and other seeds, almonds, Brazil nuts, leafy greens, avocados, bananas, and kelp. Also, raw cacao is also considered a very good source of magnesium - "Let's hear it for chocolate!"

Some of the best brain food can be found within raw nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds, such as walnuts, hemp seeds, flax seeds, and other varieties are rich in protein, vitamins and minerals all essential for proper brain function. Flax seed helps reduce hyperactivity, and improves mental focus, which is a result of the great amount of omega-3 fatty acids.

Fresh fruit provides the best type of glucose for the bloodstream that the brain needs to function properly. Grapes provide the blood with readily-assimilated natural sugars and minerals that are conducive to mental activity. Blue berries and goji berries are rich in antioxidants improving mental clarity.

The brain also needs natural sodium for optimal health. Spinach and celery are one of the best providers of this sodium. In fact, dark leafy greens and seaweeds are the most nutrient rich foods for healing and maintaining a healthy brain, and emotional stability. They alkalize the body, automatically creating conditions for more power and positive thinking.

In summary, the key to a healthy brain is to eliminate all processed foods from the diet. The more fresh, raw and living foods that you consume, the healthier the body, mind, and spirit. In addition, get plenty of rest, exercise, fresh air, sunshine, and good brain stimulation (the brain can atrophy just like a muscle can), and your end result will be a healthy, happy brain!

Think happy, think healthy!

Recommended reading:

RawFoodExplained.com - Nutrition Mind and the Emotions

HealthNewsDigest.com -Mental Ability and Mental Health Through The Raw Food Diet

Rawmom.com/blog - Feeding Your Brain (Part 1 - 5)

Is Your Child's Brain Starving?, written by Dr. Michael R Lyon and Dr. Christine Laurell

Green For Life, written by Victoria Boutenko

Reprinted from an e-newsletter written by Debbie Marsh, Raw-Riffic Food. All rights reserved 2009©

Go Nuts!

2010-09-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

"Almond Milk, The Natural Alternative To Dairy!"

(Article Reprint, Raw-Riffic Happenings! Issue 8/15/09, e-Newsletter)

If you are like me, milk does not do your body good. Being lactose intolerant, cow's milk is out of the question for me. Sad, but true, milk causes diarrhea, abdominal discomfort and bloating. This is because lactose intolerance means the inability to digest the sugar in cow's milk. Not being able to drink milk means that a person can't enjoy milk-by products such as cheese, yogurt, cream or butter - or can they? Actually they can, if these things are made from another source - like NUTS!

Nut milk, specifically almond milk, has been used for centuries. During the Middle Ages almond milk was the preferred drink as it is high in protein content, and able to keep better than dairy milk during a time that refrigeration was not an option.Almond milk could be made as needed, and in the quantities needed. The dry almonds were easily stored and did not require cold temperatures to keep fresh.Almond milk was known in both the Islamic world and Christendom as a suitable drink for consumption during Lent. This is because being a nut that is a seed of a fruit of a plant, makes almond milk a vegetable in composition.

Historically, almond milk was called amygdalate, and was consumed over a region that stretched from the Middle East to East Asia. The Chinese introduced and reintroduced dairy milk with little success. Creating nut and legume milk was more popular and common amongst Asia and Europe for several hundred years until about the end of the 18th century. So you could easily say that nut milk came before cow's milk. Nut milk has and is a great alternative to dairy milk for vegetarians and vegans alike. It is actually preferred over soy milk (which many people have a low tolerance for). That's why it is a staple amongst the raw food community.

Almond milk is unquestionably nutritious with little to no saturated fat, and no lactose. Cow's milk, however, is very high in fat, in addition to being indigestible for most. Almonds are a rich source of B vitamins, E, and minerals - including zinc, magnesium, potassium, phosphorous, copper and iron. "It's great Brain food!" It has been associated with lowering the risk of heart attack due to its high levels of unsaturated fat. Almond milk is a rich source of protein (1oz of almonds is equal to 12% of the daily protein requirement) and omega fatty acids too. It is truly a power food!

Obviously almond milk is a much more nutritious and safe beverage to pour over cereal, use in smoothies and shakes, make ice cream, and cheeses - "Yes, nut cheeses!" Almond milk is with-out-a-doubt the best alternative to any dairy product! (Please note, anyone with a peanut allergy should verify no almond allergy exists prior to using almonds as an alternative to milk).

Where can I find almond or nut milk?

Well, more and more grocery stores and super markets both natural and mass, are carrying a variety of almond nut milks. These commercially made almond milk products are often enriched with vitamins, and come in plain, vanilla, or chocolate flavors. However, commercially made almond milk is not nearly as nutritious as almond milk that is made fresh and raw. One must be careful when using these commercially made products as they are usually made produced with additives and sweeteners. This is because it is very difficult to keep products made from fresh dairy, soy or nut in a grocery store environment for long periods of time. They have to be processed and slightly pasteurized to avoid spoilage. Therefore, the commercially made almond product will not be as nutritious or safe as fresh rawalmond milk - so make your own!

How do you make almond milk, or any kind of nut milk for that matter?

Making the nut milk is super easy. The standard recipe is usually for making almond milk, but can be applied to most nut milks. Almond milk is usually the preferred choice for several reasons, it's less expensive than other nuts, it's the least acidic nut, and should cause no problems, it's the closest in taste to dairy milk, making it a great alternative, and it's readily available at most grocery stores and supermarkets. "Now let's make some almond milk."

Almond Milk 101:

A good rule of thumb is to use 1 cup of almonds (or nuts) to 4-5 cups of purified water. It's best to use raw almonds (as raw as you can find obviously - meaning not roasted, or salted). Although some prefer to blanch the almonds first, it is not necessary. However, it is advised to soak the nuts for at least 4 hours or more. I prefer to soak the nuts over night. This helps to release the enzymes making the nuts even more nutritious and easier to digest, as well as making the nut milk much creamier, since the nuts will break down better in the blender. You can sweeten the milk too, by adding a 1 or 2 pitted dates per cup of almonds, or a drizzle of raw agave nectar, or a few drops of stevia. I usually use the dates, with a little non-alcoholic, organic vanilla extract.

Another good "additive" to use, but not necessary is lecithin granules. I use a little more than half a teaspoon to a cup of nuts in my milk. It makes a very creamy, smooth milk base. Plus it helps keep the composition of the milk whole (doesn't separate as easily). This milk with or without the flavorings will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 or 5 days in an airtight container. I recommend using a mason jar - it's better for your health.

All ingredients are placed in a blender. Although a high-speed blender is preferred it is not necessary. I for one still do not own these powerful appliances (although one day I will), and have had great success using my standard blender. Blend the ingredients on high until the mixture looks well combine, and smooth. You can change the consistency by using more or less water. The final product should look like milk. Next, you will need to strain the milk. Or, you can drink it as is, getting all the benefits of the almond.

Straining the milk: To strain the milk, use a nylon or silk mesh bag, also called a "nut or sprout bag" sold in health food stores or you can use muslin or tights. Cheesecloth could work, but can become very messy and cumbersome. I usually place the nut bag in a big bowl, so I can squeeze the milk out of the bag into the bowl. It's kind of like milking a cow - fun and easy. Once all the milk has been strained out of the bag, pour the milk into a container. The remaining pulp can be used to make raw crackers or snacks, or it can be used for compost, or just toss it. The almond milk is now ready to enjoy!

Here are a couple of nut milk recipes to try on your own. Enjoy!

Raw Almond Milk
1 cup raw almonds (soaked for 8 hours)
2-3 pitted dates
½ tsp. non-alcoholic, organic vanilla extract
1 tsp. lecithin granules
4-5 cups purified water

Chocolate Raw Cashew Milk
1 to 1 ½ cups raw cashews (soaked 2-4 hours)
2-3T raw cacao or raw carob powder
1T raw coconut butter (optional)
3-4 pitted dates
½ tsp. non-alcoholic, organic vanilla extract
1 tsp. lecithin granules
4-5 cups purified water

Article written by Debbie Marsh, Raw-Riffic Food. All rights reserved 2009©

"Where Do You Get Your Protein?"

2010-09-28T23:58:00.000-07:00

The Protein Controversy
Written by Deborah Marsh, Raw-Riffic Happenings!

The number one question I get when I talk about the raw food diet to raw food newbies and non-rawfoodies is, “Where do you get your protein?”

“Where? From the plant-based foods you eat!”

Okay, so that’s too simple of an answer – I know. But seriously, people have been misled to believe that they can only get sufficient amounts of protein from animal flesh – that’s simply not true! Plus, most people believe that if they don’t have a feeling of being full, that they are not providing their body with sufficient nutrients – especially protein… that’s why they eat so much meat!

Ask yourself this, “Where do animals get their protein from?”
Well, farm animals, such as chickens, cows, and pigs get their protein from grass and greens that are grown in mineral rich soil. These animals naturally have a very high protein, calcium and mineral requirement before even being considered as food for people. The requirement doubles for those animals used for human consumption. Which leads to another issue; commercial farming has introduced the use of growth hormones, chemicals, and antibiotics in order to produce these animals for consumption in large masses, and be able to provide them with the high mineral and nutrient requirements needed for these animals to grow. Instead, you are getting more than protein by eating these animals, you are getting a whole lot of other “junk” the body just doesn’t need, and is actually damaging. "Doesn’t that defeat the purpose?"

Wouldn’t it be more sensible to cut out the “middle-man” (in this case the middle-man would be the animal used for food), and eat the same nutrient rich greens that are grown in the same mineral rich soil that the animal needs to eat? The food would be fresh, the cost to produce the food would be minimal, and since the animals would not be harmed, or mistreated, you could rest your conscious.

Now, if you choose to eat meat – that’ fine. At least eat animals that are organically raised, and are range free, so that their vibration will be one of positive energy, and they will be much healthier and more beneficial to your body. Otherwise, don’t bother.

But wait, another misleading source of protein is the commercially sold “Protein Powder!” Don’t get me wrong, there are some very decent raw protein powders that can actually be beneficial – I use them myself. However, most of the products on the market, although high in “protein”, they are also very high in sugar, fat, and a bunch of other stuff that the body just doesn’t need – and is actually harmful to the body. Some of these commercially sold protein powders can actually cause serious hormonal imbalances, since they are specifically made to help build extreme muscle mass. That’s fine, but as the old saying goes, “Bury me young, but bury me BIG!” You might look super-strong and fit on the outside, but your insides are screaming for help as the body slowly starts to shutdown… “Scary thought, I know!”

As you can see, I didn’t say the products didn’t work. I’m simply stating that overall they are not the best solution for overall health and well-being! Plus, these protein powders are very expensive! Economically it is not the best solution for you, your pocket, or the planet!

Since I’m not a scientist, or a nutritionist, I’m not going to go into the nutritional evaluation of the various plant foods versus animal flesh, and commercial protein products. That’s not my point. Although, if you do the research you can see for yourself that plant-based foods will always be the safer, healthier, most nutritious, and most economical choice for protein, other important minerals and nutrients, and food sources in general.

However, what I have learned through my research is this: protein is a basic nutritional requirement for all living cells. Protein is used in the form of hormones, neurotransmitters, and enzymes (the structure of muscles, hair, skin, and connective tissue) and countless other functions of the body. Protein is one of the basic building blocks of the human body, being about 16 percent of our total body weight. On average, the body itself requires about .6 grams of protein per pound of body weight. If you are an athlete or perform lots of cardio, you would need .8 to 1 grams, and if you are building muscle you would need 1 to 2g. However, for the most part, people who eat the standard American diet (S.A.D.) already consume two times the daily requirement needed; and those people who eat a healthy vegetarian, vegan, or raw food diet are already getting more than enough grams of protein per day to meet their individual needs. “So, obviously as a rule, we are getting plenty of protein”.

In closing, it’s important to remember that as long as you are eating a balanced diet, regardless of whether or not it’s raw or cooked, your nutritional requirements can and will be met. But if you are consuming a diet high in processed and refined sugars, flours, and fats, and you are overeating, and overheating… then you will be sick and your body will be out of balance, regardless of how much exercise you get, or how many supplements you take, or how much protein you consume. Fresh is always best!!! EAT RAW!

Editor’s note. The statements claimed in this article are based on personal research and experience, and have not been evaluated by an authority of any sort. To learn more about the importance of protein and protein sources please conduct personal research. I am not a doctor, but I am very passionate about finding natural alternatives to medicine and over-the-counter processed supplements and vitamins. I encourage you to take responsibility for your own health, research, experience, and find what is best for you. Peace!

Be the next Vita-Mix Star!

2009-11-16T12:28:00.001-07:00

Win the $10,000 grand prize in Vita-Mix's Pitch Me! contest! Vita-Mix Corporation created the very first infomercial in 1949. Now, they are looking for the next Vita-Mix Demonstration Star who is best able to sell their powerful machine in web videos and maybe even television! Just grab your camera, your Vita-Mix machine and submit! Go to VitamixTV.com right now for all the rules and details. There's over $20,000 in prizes. YOU may be the next Vita-Mix star!

World Diabetes Day is Crazy...

2009-11-14T11:58:00.000-07:00

Today, Saturday November 14th is World Diabetes
Day. The theme for the years 2009 to 2013 is
"Diabetes Education and Prevention."

It's funny though how "Education and Prevention"
can mean totally different things to different
people.

For the International Diabetes Organization and
the over 12 drug companies that sponsor World
Diabetes Day it means educating people about how
they can "manage" their diabetes with insulin.

For the team that made the film "Simply Raw:
Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days" it means educating
people on how they can prevent and even reverse
diabetes with a raw and living foods diet.

Now don't get me wrong, insulin is an absolutely
amazing thing that has saved countless lives, but
it's not something you want to use regularly. The
goal should always be to get off of medication
whenever possible.

And if that's the case how come there's no mention
of eating a raw and living foods diet on the World
Diabetes Day website? Kind of crazy don't you
think...

To help with the real meaning of "Education and
Prevention" for World Diabetes Day the team behind
the film "Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days"
is offering a huge 50% OFF discount on their film
and the companion "Raw for Life" 2 disc DVD set.

You can see the trailer for the film and what they're
doing here:

Raw for 30 Days

Also, when you pick up a copy of Simply Raw or Raw
for Life today you'll also get ALL of the bonuses
listed below. One of the really cool things about
theraw food community is how we all come together
to supporta cause like reversing diabetes.

A lot of people have stepped up to contribute amazing
bonuses for this event.

Don't miss out on getting all of these bonuses...

* Bonus 1: "Kitchen Gadgets" 40 Minute Instructional
Video by Raw Food Chef Cherie Soria of The Living Light
Institute($14.99 Value)

* Bonus 2: Jennifer Cornbleet's Favorite 5 Recipes from
her Book "Raw Food Made Easy"($4.99 Value)

* Bonus 3: A One Month Raw Menu Planner by Tera Warner of
"The Raw Divas" ($14.99 Value)

* Bonus 4: Audio Interview with Ani Phyo on How to Stay
Raw While Traveling ($4.99 Value)

* Bonus 5: The entire "The Raw Life: Becoming Natural in
an Unnatural World" E-Book by Paul Nison ($14.99 Value)

* Bonus 6: The entire "Revealing the Physical Changes"
E-Book by Angela Stokes - 63 Pages! ($19.95 Value)

* Bonus 7: The entire "Revvellutionize Your Life In 30 Days"
E-Book by Revvell Revati of Rawkin Radio ($19.95 Value)

* Bonus 8: The entire "Raw Success " book, written by Matt
Monarch - ($15.95 Value) plus a 12% Discount Coupon for his
Raw Food World Online Store

* Bonus 9: Chapter 1 of Susan Schenk's book "The Live Food
Factor" ($4.95 Value)

* Bonus 10: CD #1 and #5 of Nomi Shannon's 5 CD "21 Days to
Better Health" Program ($37.49 Value)

That's a lot of great extra health insight and education...
and you get it all FR@E when you purchase the Simply Raw or
Raw for Life for 50% off.

Go here right now to see all the details and get your copies:

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Until next time...

To your health!

Peace! :)
Debbie

P.S. - This special half off World Diabetes Day Sale ends at
midnight on Friday, November 20th. If you'd like to get this
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