RuthannRussoisaneducator,healthcounselor,andpassionaterawfoodist. She is a member of the faculty at Tri-State College ofAcupuncture where she teaches complementary and integrativemedicine and directs the community acupuncture program. She haspersonally instructedmore than 3,000 physicians in hospitals acrossthe country, including hospitals affiliated with the University ofMaryland, University of Pennsylvania, University of Massachusetts,and Johns Hopkins University. She earned a law degree fromAmericanUniversity, amaster’sdegree inpublichealth fromRobertWood Johnson School of Medicine, and a PhD in businessadministrationfromTouroInternationalUniversity.She isacertifiedholistic health counselor with the Institute for Integrative NutritionandColumbiaUniversity Teachers College. Russo’s previous book,7Steps to Your Best Possible Healthcare, as well as her programHealthMap, helps healthcare consumers create plans for their ownhealththatreflecttheirpersonalvalues,vision,andmission.Shehasbeenavegetarianandvegan formore than twentyyearsanda raw-foodenthusiastsince2007.

Contents

IntroductionandOverviewofRawandLivingFoodPrinciples

TheBasics

Chapter1RawStories

Chapter2YourStory

Chapter3RawLeaders

Chapter4RawFoodTheory

TheFood

Chapter5TheGreatChocolateDebate

Chapter6RawSweeteners

Chapter7Water

Chapter8pHLevel

Chapter9HealthyConflict

Chapter10Supplements

Chapter11BasicRawFoodPreparation101

TheLifestyle

Chapter12HealthandHealthCareintheRawandLivingFoodLifestyle

Chapter13Spirituality

Chapter14PhysicalFitness

Chapter15EthicsoftheRawandLivingFoodLifestyle

Chapter16TheEconomicsofTransitioningtoaRawandLivingFoodLifestyle

Chapter17PetsandRawFood

Conclusion

Glossary

Appendices

Appendix1RawandLivingFoodUn-cookbooks

Appendix2WebSites

Appendix3MyPyramidNutritionandFitnessPrinciples

Notes

IntroductionandOverviewof

RawandLivingFoodPrinciples

Rawfoodismorethanjustadiet,it’salifestyle.Rawfoodisalsoarevolutionaryphilosophy.A revolution is a fundamental change in thewayofthinkingaboutsomething.1Therawfoodmovementchangestheway we look at food; therefore, it is a revolution. Philosophy is aninterpretationof theway things fit together.2The raw foodmovementlooksatthewayfood,living,ourtreatmentoftheearth,ourtreatmentofeachother,andourquestforphysical,spiritual,andmentalhealthallfittogether.Therefore,itisalsoaphilosophy.Thepurposeofthisbookis to introduce you to the revolutionary philosophy of raw and livingfoodsbypullingtogetherallofthecomponents,includingdiet,intooneplace. The book provides you with information to make a consciousdecisionaboutwhetheryouwill incorporateanyof the rawand livingfoodphilosophyintoyourownphilosophyofliving.

RawversusLivingFoods

The terms raw and living are often grouped together when describingfoods.AndinsomeplacesinthebookIusetheminterchangeably.Itis,however,essentialtoclarifythedifferencebetweenthetwoterms.Livingfoods are those that still have live enzymes circulating in them—themore, the better. Examples of living food include uncooked broccoli,romainelettuce,andapples.Withinthecontextofthisbook,raw foodsareanyfoodsthataregrownandtheneatenintheiruncookedform.Ifitwasn’tgrownintheground(onaplant,atree,avineorasaroot),it’snot raw or living. You can eat fish, meat, and even milk and cheeseproducts raw. These foods, however, are part of a diet that includes

animal products and are not addressed in this book. Examples of rawfoodsthatgrowinthegroundincluderawalmonds,pumpkinseeds,andlentil beans. You can revitalize these foods by soaking them, whichcausesthemtosprout.Duringthistime,theybegintoproduceenzymesagain.While all living foods are raw, not all raw foods are living. It ispossible to revitalize many raw foods through the sprouting process.However,notallrawfoodscanbesprouted.Examplesofrawfoodsthatcannotberevitalized throughsprouting includerawcacaobeans(fromwhich chocolate ismade), sweeteners like agave,maca,mesquite, anddriedherbs.Degreeoflife,aswewillsee,isapointofcontentionwithintherawand living foodmovement.But ifyouunderstand thisand thedifferences inherent in living versus living and raw foods, youwill beabletomakesomegooddecisionsregardingyourownnutrition.

TheDefinitionof“Uncooked”

Therawfoodmovementisareturntonatural,almostbiblicalpractices.For example, in the Essene Gospel of Peace, Jesus is quoted as saying,“Liveonlybythefireoflife,andpreparenotyourfoodswiththefireofdeath,which kills your foods, your bodies, and your souls also.”3 Thephilosophyprescribeseatingonlynonanimal food,andonlywhen it isstill in its living or raw state. This means the food is organic,unprocessed,unpasteurized,andunpreserved.Inaddition,thefoodmustbe uncooked to ensure enzymes in the food remain alive (more onenzymes later).Becausemostenzymescansurviveheatofup toabout115°Fahrenheit,raworlivingfoodistsmayheatsomefoodsupto115°F.This methodology would also be consistent with the way that theEssenesbakedtheirbreadsinthesunmorethantwothousandyearsago.Today, we use dehydrators to heat foods to 115°F since most ovenscannot be set below about 175°F.Dehydratorswork by gently heatingthe air andblowing it throughout the food-drying area.Usingnoheatsources would be ideal for enzyme retention. But dehydrating addsvariety to the raw and living food diet. Instead of just fruits andvegetables, you can use the dehydrator to make foods like flatbread,driedfruit,andcrackerstospiceupyourmeals.

EnzymesCanImproveYourLife

Eating only foods that are uncookedor heatedup to 115°F allows thefoodtoretainenzymesthataredestroyedinthenormalcookingprocess,which for most of us is 350°F to 425°F. Enzymes are essential fordigestion. Ifwe allow the foodswe eat to retain their living enzymes,then our bodies rely on those enzymes, making our own digestionprocess more efficient. Essentially, eating raw and living foods allowsour body to use its energy to stay healthy and not produce as manyenzymes. We also free our bodies from digesting the unnatural andsometimes toxic substances contained in cooked,processed,geneticallymodified, or pesticide-infested foodswhenwe eliminate these kinds offoodsfromourdiets.Livingfoodsalsohaveahighlevelofenergythattranslates into higher energy levels for us when we eat them. Othercomponentsofthephilosophyincludetreatingeveryoneandeverythingwithrespect,includingourselves,thefoodweeat,theearth,andothers.Everyrevolution,includingtherawandlivingfoodmovement,hasitsleaders.Itisdifficult,however,topindownjustoneleader.Dr.NormanW. Walker published and taught vibrant health, his version of rawfoodism, from the early 1900s until his death in 1985. And Dr. AnnWigmorepublishedandtaughtnaturalliving,herversionofrawfoodism,from the 1950s until her death in 1994. In 1960, Viktoras KulvinskasstartedtheHippocratesHealthInstitutewithDr.Wigmoreandcontinuedher work. Since then, many leaders, each an expert in one or morespheres of raw and living food philosophy, have surfaced. GabrielCousens,MD,MD(H),DD,hasdevelopedandsharedhisphilosophiesonspirituality and nutrition. David Wolfe has pioneered the way forAmericans to obtain easy access to high-quality living foods. VictoriaBoutenkohaspassedontousherapproachtotransitioningyourentirefamily from a processed diet to a raw diet. Joel Fuhrman, MD, hasconveyed themainstream physician’s approach to fasting, which is animportantcomponentoftherawandlivingfoodlifestyle.Theextenttowhich the raw and living food philosophy has been adopted byindividuals around the world is due in large part to the open andcollaborativeeffortsoftheseleaders.Forthefirsttwentyyearsofmylife,Iwasameateater.Overthepast

twenty-fiveyears,Itransitionedfrombeingavegetariantoaveganwhoate about 50 percent cooked foods. Twoyears ago, the transition to arawdietwasarelativelyeasyoneforme.Itwasalogicalnextstep,andIwasmotivatedtofindanutritionalsolutionthatmighthelppreventmydaughter’s seizures. We were looking for something that could eitherreplace or supplement the prescription medication she was currentlytaking.Whenwedecided to try raw foodon theadviceofaphysicianandanutritionist,transitioningasafamilymadetheprocesseasier.Theone thing thatmade the transition effortless formewas the fact thatchocolate,initsrawform,isanacceptablerawfood.ThestandardAmericandiet,alsoknownbytheacronymSAD,isadiet

that is high in animal fats, high in unhealthy fats, high in processedfoods, low in fiber, low in complex carbohydrates, and low in plant-basedfoods.4ThetransitionfromaSADtoconsumingmostlyorallrawand living foods can be both physically and emotionally challenging.Physically,yourbodywillbereactingtotheeliminationoftoxinsfoundin processed foods and sugars. Emotionally, you will experiencewithdrawal from the habits and food dependencies you have built upover theyears.Therefore, if youdomake thedecision to change, it isimportanttomovegraduallytoarawfooddiet.Yourgoalshouldbetotriggerthecleansingactionofarawfooddietwithaminimalamountofdietarychangenecessarytoseeresults.5YoucanusetheassessmentinnutritionistNataliaRose’sbookTheRawFoodDetoxDietasaguide. Inthebook,Rosecategorizeseveryoneintoatransitiongroupfrom1to5baseduponyouranswerstoquestionsaboutyourhistoricalandcurrenteatinghabits,healthpractices,andage.Then,dependingonyourgroup,sherecommendsthetypesoffoodsthatarelikelytoworkbestforyou.6

Dr.T.ColinCampbell,aprofessoratCornellUniversityandauthorofThe China Study, published in 2005, provides some of the mostconvincing and scientific support for a vegan or “plant-based diet.”7Protein can be found in leafy green vegetables like spinach, kale, andcollard greens. It can also be found inhigh amounts in sea vegetableslikedulse,nori,andkelp.Dr.Campbellspentthelasttwenty-fiveyearsconducting studies for Cornell and the National Institutes of Health(NIH)ontheroleofproteinandplant-basedfoodsinthediet.Heandhisresearchteamfound,amongotherthings,thatincreasingtheamountof

plant-based protein in your diet can actually counteract both geneticpredisposition to disease and exposure to toxic substances. In aninterviewinLivingNutritionmagazine,Dr.Campbellstatedthat“organicandrawisthemostnaturalwaytogo[inyourdietaryhabits]—itistheideal.”8

RawFoodTrends

Inmy travels through the raw foodcircles, I found several trends thatappearedtobecommonamongallrawfoodistswhomIcommunicatedwith or observed.What I foundwas that the raw food or living foodphilosophyisasfollows.

Integrative

Therawfooddietmythisjustthat—thattherawfooddietisjustadiet.In fact, the raw and living food philosophy goes far beyond food. Itintegratesallareasofourlives,makingitnotjustadiet,butalifestyle.The different leaders of the raw food movement have brought thisphilosophy to one that encompasses, in addition to food preparation,virtuallyallareasoflife:ourattitude,howwetreatpeople,howwetreattheearth,ourfitness,andevenourspirituality.

GoodforYou

Iama skepticbynature. I spenda lotof time researching, comparingdifferent viewpoints and outcomes, and I look specifically for thenegative impact of anything. I have yet to find anything unhealthy or“bad”abouttherawfooddiet.WhenyoutransitionfromaSADtorawfoods,yourbody’sadjustmenttotheeliminationoftoxinsthathavebuiltup over time, especially through a change in your elimination habits,can be unpleasant. But, as with any significant change, an initialimbalancefollowedbyareturntohomeostasisistobeexpected.

AParadoxThatEmbracesBothAbundanceandFasting

InstructorsattherawretreatsIhaveattendedfrequentlyusedthetermabundancewhentalkingaboutthedishwewereabouttoprepareorthemealwewereabouttoeat.Whileabundancewasneverdefinedbyanyofthem,theirfocuswasonallofthegoodnessthattheearthgivestous.MostrawfooddinnersIhaveattendedarerichintypesoffoods,color,texture,aswellastheoverallamountoffood.Thetermabundancecanrefernotonlytoamount,butalsotothecharacteristicsofthefooditself.In addition, there are many who posit that on the raw food diet, anindividual can eat to his or her heart’s content. There is somedisagreementaboutthisintherawfoodcommunity.Here’sonewaytolookatit:5,000caloriesofrawfoodis1,000percentbetterforyouthan2,000caloriesofthestandardAmericandiet.Fasting is embraced by every leader, to a certain extent, in the raw

foodcommunity.Fastingisgenerallyseenasawayofgivingthebodyabreak from digestive stresses. Fasting also can have mental andemotional benefits that can be as simple as noticing your orientationtowardfoodand,atleastforadayorso,resistingthoseurges.Therearesomedifferencesintermsofthelengthofafast(onedaytofiftydays)and the nutritional content of a fast (fruit juices, vegetable juices, orwater). Cousens defines fasting as “the elimination of physical,emotional, and mental toxins from our mind and body, rather thansimplycuttingdownonorstoppingfoodintake.”9

Cousensalsoclaimsthatfastingistheultimatewaytoreactivatewhathe refers to as the youthing gene. Cousens also says, “On thephysiological level, fastingworks by rapidly removingdead anddyingcells and toxins. But fasting also stimulates the building of new cells.Agingoccurswhenwehavemorecellsdiethanarebeingbuilt.Youthinghappenswhenmorenewcellsareproducedthanaredying.”10

While fasting isviewedpredominantly in termsof its relationship tofood,youcanfastfromactivitiesaswell.Examplesincludefastingfrommedia, shopping, gossip, or other activities that interfere with yourabilitytofeelhappyandalive.Regardlessofwhatyouarefastingfrom,one of the primary purposes of a fast is to increase your ability to beaware,conscious,andmindful.One cautionary statement about fasting. Most spiritual leaders

advocate fasting. Mahatma Gandhi is probably the leader most well

known for his use of fasting as a protest and to help him endure hisimprisonment.However, if youhavea chronic illness,mostphysicianssuggest engaging in a fast only with medical supervision. There areseveral retreats, including those at Cousens’ Tree of Life RejuvenationCenter and the Hippocrates Health Institute, that provide closelysupervisedfastsforuptotwenty-onedays.

Cultlike,ButNotaFad

Justaswithanythingnotconsideredtobeinthemainstream,thereisacultlikequalitytotherawfoodphilosophy.Acultcanbethoughtofasreligiousinnature.However,acultisalsoagroupofpeoplewithagreatdevotiontoanideaormovementthatisconsideredbynonmemberstobe a fad. If your definition of raw food is limited to the dietarycomponent only and you have a limited understanding of the sciencebehindit,youmayviewtherawfoodmovementasafad.However,itislikelythatassubscriberstotherawfoodphilosophyincreaseinnumberandcontinue theirdevotion toall componentsof the lifestyle,not justdiet,theviewofitasafadwillfade.

Entrepreneurial

Therawfoodmovementiswroughtbyentrepreneurs.Mostofthemarereallysmartpeoplewhoarewillingtosharetheirfindingswithanyonewilling to listen. With the exception of Web-based resources likeWikipedia, the sharing of information openly with no expectation ofpayment in return is a foreign notion tomost of us, especially in theUnitedStates.Althoughyouwill have topay to attend comprehensiveworkshopsorbuy theirbooks,youcanpiece togethera solidplan justfrom the resources that are offered for free by raw and living foodentrepreneurs. Two good examples of raw food entrepreneurs who fitthisdescriptionareDavidWolfeandGabrielCousens.WolfeisaformerattorneywhonowownsandmanagestheSunfoodstoreandWebsitetosupply uswith awide variety of rawmaterials to prepare rawdishes.Wolfe has many different Web sites where you can obtain freeinformation on his philosophy and experience with raw food. Gabriel

Cousens, another entrepreneur, is a medical doctor and doctor ofdivinitywhooffersafreenewsletterandfreeWebcastsandwhospeakstomanygroups.Theseeducatedentrepreneurswithconnections to themainstreamareimportantcomponentsofanewmovementbecausetheybringcredibilityandsustainabilitytoit.

Universal

Mostofussubscribetopiecesoftherawfoodphilosophy.Wehaveto.Itisbasicandnatural.Asyoupiece through thedifferentcomponentsofthe philosophy, ask yourself which ones you already embrace. Eatingorganic, fresh, uncooked fruits and vegetables?Having respect for theearth? Respecting others? Being grateful for something each day?Believing that there is somebeing, bigger than any of us, guiding ourexistence?Appreciatingandlovingyourselfsoyoucangeneratepositiveenergy to others? The raw and living food philosophy and lifestyleaddressconceptsassmallasatomstoaslargeastheuniverseandprettymucheverythinginbetween.

SupportedbyConverts

Ninety-five percent of individuals who consider themselves to be rawfoodists are converts. Although this statement is not supported byscientific research, it is supported by many of the individuals Iinterviewed. Everyone has a story about converting to raw food.Manywere driven by a health-related cause. For example,ArnoldKauffman,ownerofArnold’sWay,arawfoodcaféinLansdale,Pennsylvania,wasmotivated to try a raw food lifestyle after a near heart attack. AnnWigmore was motivated by a cancer diagnosis. The Boutenkos weremotivated by Sergei’s diagnosis of diabetes. Dr. Joel Fuhrman wasmotivatedbyaninjuryhecouldnotovercome.AsfarasIcantell,thereisnoadultlivingtodaywhowasbornarawfoodist.Andinmymanyconversationswithindividualsabouttheirtransitiontotherawfoodlifestyle,almosteveryonestartedwithafocusonfood.Eventually, that focus began to encompass other components of their

lives including their spirituality, emotional health, occupation, andrelationships.Therawfoodmovementisaphilosophyandnotjustadiet.Itisawayoflife.

SupportedbyScience

Thereisasolidscientificbasisfortherawfoodphilosophy.Inordertobeaninformedrawfoodist,youneedtounderstandthebasicscienceofnutrition.Youdonotneedadegreeinnutrition,butitishelpfulifyouunderstand the basic concepts related to body pH, food combining,production of enzymes, and cellular regeneration. More importantly,when you understand the simple science of food and your body, it iseasierforyoutoarriveatgoodlifestyledecisions.The fact that the raw food philosophy is supported by sciencedifferentiates it from diets that are generally not sustainable. Whilesubscriberstotherawfoodphilosophydonothavetoknowsignificantdetailsabout thescientificbasis for thediet, it iscomfortingthatmostinstructorsandfoodpreparersareveryawareofthesciencebehindthefood plan. I have experienced, on numerous occasions, raw foodinstructors flawlessly describing the property differences betweenflaxseed, olive, and hemp-seed oil. Most can usually describe detailedfactssuchasthatthehumanbodycannotdirectlyprocessflaxseeds,sotheseedsneedtobegroundormodifiedinsomeotherwayduringthefoodpreparationprocessinorderforustoobtainmaximumnutritionalbenefit.

NotExemptfromJunk-FoodJunkies

Evenrawfoodistsgoastray.Iamagoodexampleofthis.Ihavealreadymentionedmy loveof chocolate.Rawchocolatemade from rawcacaobeansandagavesyrup(asweetenerobtainedfromcactuslikeplants)isoneofmyfavoritetreats.OndayswhenIamunderenormousstress, Ihave had nothing but green juice and raw chocolate to eat. The goodnews is that you can recover from this type of digressionmuchmorequicklythanifyouarepartakingoftraditionalchocolatecandy.Yes, you can gain weight on a raw food diet. This was discussed

during the lectures I heard at a raw food retreat, and many peopleattestedtothefact.Youwillneverbecomeobeseonapurelyrawfooddiet,butyoucangainweightifyouintakeahighpercentageofcaloriesfrom seeds and nuts. Raw seeds and nuts, like pumpkin seeds (thehighestinproteinofallseedsandnuts),sunflowerseeds,almonds,andwalnutsareconsideredbymanytobethemeatreplacementintherawfoodists’ diet. They are also eaten more frequently during the coldmonths.It’swisetoeatseedsandnutsinmoderation.

SupportedbyaSpiritual/ReligiousComponent

AsInotedpreviously,leaderslikeGabrielCousens,whowroteSpiritualNutrition,espouseastrongconnectionbetweenthepracticeofeatingandspirituality. Specifically, Cousens states that “what we eat affects thequalityofthefunctioningofourmind,whetherourmindisnoisy,quiet,atpeace,orirritated.”Healsosays,“Ourfoodchoicesreflectourstateofharmonywithourselves, theworld,allofcreation.”11Cousensgoesontodescribethefactthatviewingnutritioninthismannerhelpsusalltoliveaharmoniousandpeacefullifeonearth.

AConsciousDecision

Ontherawfooddiet,youbecomeconsciousofwhatyouaretakingintoyourbody.This ispartlybecauseyouneed toassess thequalityof thefood—itcouldbeassimpleasdeterminingwhetherthevegetablesyouare buying are conventional or organic—and partly because you feelhealthier and more alive as a result of your nutritional habits. Thedifferenttextures,colors,andtastesarealsolikelytopiqueyourlevelsofawareness.Consciousnessgoesfarbeyondwhatyoueat—butformostofus,that’sthestartingpoint.Asyoureatinghabitschange,youbegintobecome more aware of other aspects of your life. You will be moreconscious andmindful of your treatment of others, your treatment ofyourself,andeveryactivityyouengagein.

AboutHealthyConflict

Aswith any philosophy, there exist some areas of conflict among theraw food leaders. I call it healthy conflict because, fromwhat I haveseen,eachleaderisawareofandacknowledgesthedifferentbeliefsherpeers have. They do this with respect for each other’s opinions andfoundationsofthought.Eachhasstrongconvictionsabouthisbeliefsandeach has spent significant time amassing information to support histheory.AfewexamplesincludeGabrielCousens’supportforusingsaltinallrawfoodpreparation,whileBrianClementhaseliminatedtheuseofsalt altogether. Natalia Rose recommends drinking green juices daily(juices have all fiber removed), while Victoria Boutenko recommendsdrinkinggreensmoothies,whichretainallthefiber.Itisimportanttobeawareofthesedifferencesandthebasisforeachsoyoucantrydifferentoptionsandmakeyourowndecisions.

Colorful

Boththefoodandthepeoplewhoarerawfoodistshaveastrongcolorfulglow to them.A recent raw foodmeal that Ihadat SarmaMelngailis’restaurant, Pure Food and Wine in New York City, contained thefollowingnaturalcolors:green(marinatedkalesalad),red(roastedredpepper—but not heated above 115°F!), purple (black olive compote),yellow (nut cheese), and orange (butternut squash soup and rawpumpkinpie). Itwasalmostasenjoyabletoviewthefoodas itwastoeatit!Nottoolongago,mydaughter,Emmalea,showedmetwopicturesof

myselftakenatdifferenttimes.Shedescribedthephotosasbefore(pre-raw) and after (post-raw) pictures. My weight is the same in bothsnapshots.However,inthepre-rawpicture,myfaceisalmostpurewhiteandmyeyesarealittleswollenandpuffy(probablycarb-face).However,inthepost-rawpicture,myfacehasnopuffinessandmycolorisarosyorange, like a soft suntan. I havenot sunbathed formore than twentyyears.Iattributethechangeincolortotallytomydiet.

TalkedAboutinPercentages

“Iam75percentraw.Whatpercentageareyou?”Thisisoneofthemost

commonquestionsyouwillbeaskedinarawcafé,rawretreat,orrawretail store.When I first began to explore the lifestyle, Iwas not surewhat itmeant, and I am still not sure how anyone is truly capable ofcalculatingtheirdietaryintakewithsuchprecision.AtarecentTreeofLife retreat that I attended, Gabriel Cousens taught that eating 100percent live foods is the most powerful way to elevate the spiritualaspectsofhealthbutoveratwo-yearperiod,an80percentlivefooddiet(andlifestyle)willgiveallthehealthbenefitsofeating100percentlivefoods.Anydegreeoffoodintakethatisrawisbeneficial.Andifthatrawfood is organic, even better.Most raw foodists take proactive steps toensuretheirfoodisorganic.Organicandrawfoodsgohandinhand.

SereneandPeaceful

During thepast twoyears, Ihavemet severalpeoplewhosubscribe tothe raw food philosophy. I have observed them to be completely andtrulyserene.Youcanspotthem.It’sintheircoloring,theirnature,theirsmile,theirrelaxedandconfidentwayofgoingaboutwhateveritisthattheyaredoing.Thisisparticularlytrueofpeoplewhoareinvolvedwithraw foodpreparation for a living. Sarma, theownerofPureFoodandWine in New York City, is one of them. Denise Mari, the founder ofOrganicAvenueinNewYorkCityisanother.Andtheentirekitchenstaffat the Tree of Life in Arizona display raw food serenity. I haveconsistentlyobservedthispeacefulness,butIamunabletoattributeittoanyothercommoncauseexcepttherawandlivingfoodlifestyle.

Thusfar,theobservationsthatIhavesharedaboutrawfoodphilosophyhave been predominantly positive. It is also important to addressimprovements that can be made in the raw food practice andphilosophy.Theseimprovementsincludethefollowing:

DemandOutweighsSupply

Currently,thereisalimitedpopulationwiththeknowledgeofrawfoodpreparation. In order for raw food to be enjoyed by the masses on alargerscale,thesupplyoftrainedpeopleneedstoincrease.Theshortage

of freshly prepared raw foods, especially in metropolitan areas, isapparent. For example, one evening I was dining at a raw foodrestaurantandby9p.m.twooftheentréeshadalreadysoldout.Thisissomething that rarely happens in traditional restaurants, especially inNewYorkCity.

LackofConvenience

UnliketraditionalAmericanconveniencefoods,rawfoodisnotgenerallyavailable just anywhere. Even finding a good salad made with high-nutrient lettuce, not iceberg lettuce, is fairly challenging if you aretravelingorinanairport.BeforeItravel,IGooglethecityorareaIamvisiting forany raw foodcafés. Seventy-fivepercentof the time, I canfindarawresource—andabouthalfoftheseresourcesoffermorethanjuice and salad. Most of these places are not conveniently locateddirectlyoffamajorhighway.Itdoestakealittlemoreefforttosupportarawfood lifestyle,especiallywhentraveling,but itcanbedone.Thereare amyriad ofWeb sites that sell raw food treats and bars,most ofwhich can be packed for traveling. These Web sites are listed inAppendixTwoattheendofthisbook.

FoodPreparationCanTakeTime—LotsofIt!

Thereisnodoubtaboutit:otherthansaladsandfreshfruit,themajorityof raw food takes a lot of time to prepare. If you had to live a lifeconfined to eating only salads and fruits, chances are great that youwouldabandon the raw lifestyleveryquickly.Luckily, the leadersandtheir students have gone to great lengths to devise creative ways topreparerawfoodsthataretasty,arebeautifultolookat,andstillretainalloftheirnaturalnutrients.Thedownsidetothisisthatthepreparationcantakemanyhoursifthefoodneedstobedehydrated.Thedehydratedfoods add variety and texture to a raw food meal. Luckily, there aresome shortcuts, and many are described in un-cookbooks likeRAWvolutionbyMattAmsdenandRawFoodMadeEasyfor1or2PeoplebyJenniferCornbleet.

RequiresSelf-Experimentation

Self-experimentationinnutritionanddietis importantforeveryoneforseveralreasons.First,itmakesyouawareofyourfoodintake.Second,itmakes you more aware of your physical and emotional reaction tocertainfoods(goodandbad).Third,anypositivechangeinyourdietaryhabits, even slight, is likely to give your body a “jump start” and,dependingonyourageandothercircumstances,itmayevenboostyourmetabolismabit.

PreparedRawFoodsCanBeExpensive

Foods atmost raw restaurants are highly priced. InNewYork City orSan Francisco, dinner entrées are priced competitively, and sometimesevenhigher thanat traditional restaurants that servemeat.Thereasonfor this is twofold. First, the resources needed to prepare the food areoften greater than in a conventional restaurant. Second, high-qualityorganic nuts, which serve as the basis formost dinner entrées in rawrestaurants, are expensive and can cost as much as $15 per pound.Dessertsarealsoverypricey,includingicecream.Rawveganicecream,which ismade fromyoungThai coconutmeat, cashews, and agave, isone of themost delicious desserts ever.However, because of the timeandexpenserequired tomake it, raw icecreamisdifficult to findandwhenyoudofindit,itcancostupto$20aquart.Myhusband,Joe,willgooutofhiswaytostopatthePureFoodandWinerestaurant justtoorder their classic sundae because he, a non-raw foodist, believes it isthebestdesserthehasevertasted.

YourBodyGoesthroughWithdrawal

I have mentioned previously that the transition from non-raw to rawfoods is one that should be undertaken with care. Natalia Rose’squestionnaire in her bookThe Raw Food Detox Diet will help you rateyourself,andthenyoucanfollowherrecommendationsforfoodstoeatand how to transition properly for your level. Withdrawal from anytoxinisnotfun.Whenyougettotheotherside,youaremuchbetteroff,butgettingtherecanbeadifficultjourney.

CausesaSignificantChangeinEliminationHabits

This issue goes hand in hand with the above statement aboutwithdrawal. Initially, withdrawal will impact your gastrointestinalsystem. You may have slight stomachaches or nausea followed byfrequent elimination. You will need to manage your lifestyle aroundthesechangesduringtheinitialwithdrawal.Onceyouhavegottentoaplateau,which can take one to fourweeks, depending on the level oftoxins from processed, nonorganic, pasteurized foods in your system,youcancountonconsistencyas longasyoudonotdrasticallychangeyourhabits.

HowtoUseThisBook

Usethisbookfirstto learnwhattherawandlivingfoodlifestyle isallabout.Ihavetriedtodescribeallofthedifferentcomponentsoftherawand living food lifestyle.Then,use this information todeterminewhatparts of the philosophy, if any, you can use in your own nutritionalpracticesandinyourlife.

NoteonMedicalAdvice

There are different places in the book where I describe the medicaladvicegivenbydifferentphysiciansinvolvedintherawfoodmovement.Thesearepiecesofinformationmeantforillustrativepurposesonly.Theinformationisnotmeanttobespecificmedicaladvicetobeacteduponbyanyone.

THEbasics

CHAPTER1

RawStories

March20,2007, was the date I first heard the term raw food diet.StandinginBordersBooksintheTimeWarnerCenterinNewYorkCity,I was beginning to feel that I would never find what I had beeninvestigatingformonthsonlineandineverybookstoreIcameacross:anutritionalphilosophythatcouldhelpneurologicalhealth,inparticular,epilepsy. My daughter, Emmalea, had been diagnosed with juvenilemyoclonic epilepsy the previous year and the numbers and types ofantiepilepticdrugsseemedendless,nottomentionpotentiallydangerousand ineffective. So, nutrition became a primary avenue for possiblesolutions.IwasinthedietandnutritionaisleatBorderswhenInoticedabook

bynutritionistNataliaRose,RawFoodLifeForceEnergy. I picked it upmostly because the dust jacket was very attractive, and it showed apictureofRosewalkingconfidentlypastanoutdoormarketstockedwithfresh fruits and vegetables. While I did not think this book was thesolution, Iwas intriguedbyRose’s discussion of light, energy, and thevibrationprinciple.Iboughtit,aswellasherfirstbook,TheRawFoodDetoxDiet,andIbegantoread.Roseprovidesanexcellentdescriptionoftherawandlivingfooddiet,

yet Iwasconfusedabouthowthis lifestylecouldbepossible, letaloneenjoyable.ThenInoticedRose’sbooklistedrawfoodresources.OneofthoseresourceswasArnold’sWay,arawfoodcafé, locatedaboutfortymilesfrommyhomeinPennsylvania.WhenIfirstdescribedthedietandthe idea of visitingArnold’sWay to Emmalea, shewas up for it. ThatSunday,wemadethetrektoLansdaletomeetArnoldandseethecafé.

Before we left the café that day, we received some spontaneousinstruction in both raw food nutrition and preparation from ArnoldKauffman,theowner.Thecaféwasfulloffoodpreparationsupplies,rawingredients, fresh, local organic produce, and Arnold’s own smoothiesandprepareddishes.EmmaleaandIhadourfirstrawmealsthatnight.Shehadbananaicecreamandrawberrypiemadewithgroundrawnutsfor the crust and dates for sweetener. I had raw pizza, made withflaxseed crust, blended sun-dried and fresh tomato sauce, and freshchoppedyellowpeppersandonionsasthetopping.Wefellinlovefirstwithrawfoodandthenwiththelifestyle.Ourliveswouldneverbethesame.BecauseIhadbeenavegetarianandthenaveganforalmost20years,the transition to vegan raw foodwas not very difficult forme. Itwasactually a welcome change—one that increased my energy level andability tomanage stress. Each individual is unique, so the response torawfoodwillnotbethesameforeveryone.Searchforwhatworksbestforyou.Table1.1belowgivesyouanideaoftypicalmealsforme.Everyone has a story about how they found raw food. As I havetraveled around the country and spoken tomany raw foodists, I haveenjoyed hearing their stories. And, of course, I have enjoyed readingabout the storiesof the raw food leadersandauthors.The first story Iheard about raw food transition was Arnold Kauffman’s, owner ofArnold’sWayCafe.Inhisforties,Arnoldsufferedanearheartattackandwas told that he could not leave the hospital without bypass surgery.Neveronefondofthemedicalestablishmentorthethoughtofsurgery,Arnoldsignedhimselfoutof thehospital.Arnoldspentmorethanfourweeksonawater-onlyfast,learnedtherawandlivingdiet,andbecamea new man. The science behind fasting, although it has never beenproven,claimsthatwhenthebodyisdeprivedoffood,itmustbecomeasefficientaspossible.Sotoincreaseefficiencywhenfood-deprived,aswhenyouare fasting, thebody sheds sickandoldcells. Shedding sickandoldcells results, supposedly, inanaturalhealingandrejuvenationprocess.

Table1.1—TypicalFoodsinMyRawDiet

BREAKFAST:

Greenjuice:20–30oz.madewithromainelettuce,spinach,kale,celery,orcollardgreens(whatevergreensareinthefridge),lemons,andgingerroot

LUNCH:

Oneortwoofthefollowing:greensalad,rawveggiesalad,rawsoup,rawpizza,rawflaxseedcrackers.Saladdressingiseitherrawoliveoilandlemonjuiceor,occasionally,rawhoneymustard.

DINNER:

Oneortwoofthefollowing:nutmeatpatties,veggiesalad,rawtacosaladwithnutmeat,zucchinihummusandcrackers,rawnut“cheese”andveggies,zucchinispaghetti

SNACKS:

Rawnutmixes,rawchocolate,gojiberries,mesquitetruffles,rawicecream(madewithyoungThaicoconutmeat,wheneverIcanfindit),rawpecanpie,sproutedbuckwheatcerealwithfreshalmondmilk

DRINKS: Water,greenjuice,organicherbaltea

Fruitdoesnotworkwellforme.PeoplewhoarepronetocandidainfectionsshouldstayawayfromexcessfruitsandstarchesandIamoneofthem.Butfruitworkswellformyhusband,Joe,whoeatsadietthatisnotallraw.Hisdailyregimenincludesa“GreenSmoothie”—bananasandwholegreens(kale,

NOTE: spinach,collardgreens)thatheblendsinourVita-Mixblender.Healsoeatscookedfishdinnersonceortwiceaweek.Thisisaprocessthathehasworkedoutandcreatesbalanceforhim.Asaresultofadoptingthisspecificapproachtohisdiet,Joehaslostabouttwentypounds,looksbetter,andfeelsmuchmoreenergetic.

Arnoldhas takenthisgifthewasgiven,anaturallyhealthy life,andusedittohelpothers.Ifyouvisithisstore,Arnold’sWay,hewillgladlysharewith you photo albums filledwith pictures of customers he hashelped to achieve the spontaneous healing process through juicing,smoothies,and fasting.Duringmymany tripsback tohis store, Ihavepersonally met customers who attribute their good health to Arnold.Theseincludecustomerswhohaveorpreviouslyhadmultiplesclerosis,prostate cancer, heart disease, arthritis, lupus, and even vaccinationreactions. This is a small group of people, and while Arnold’s storywould probably not hold weight in the scientific community, it’scertainly worthy of being called, at a minimum, a case study with apositiveoutcome—perhaps justifyingadditionalresearchtosee if thesepracticescanindeedresultinthesamepositiveoutcomesforothers.

TheTreeofLife(TOL)

My exploration of the raw and living food lifestyle ledme to GabrielCousens’TreeofLifeRejuvenationCenter,whererawfoodpreparationcourses are taught.While at the TOL, I had the opportunity to speakwithmanyemployeesandotherstudents.Therewerefourteenstudentsin the class. Three of those students were insulin-dependent diabeticswhowerealsoenrolled ina fastingandrawfoodprogramdesignedtohelp them control their insulin levels with the hope of eventuallyweaningoff insulin injections completely.Were this tooccur, itwould

be monumental because individuals with insulin-dependent diabetestraditionallyhave lived their entire livesdependenton insulinwithnohope for eliminating that dependency. One of the diabetes programparticipants, who had been diagnosed with diabetes less than a yearearlier, was off insulin completely by day 21. Another programparticipant,whohadbeeninsulindependentfortwenty-twoyears,wasabletodecreaseherinsulinto33percentoftheamountshehadtakenforthe lastdecadebyday30. Idonotknowalotofotherfactsaboutthese specific participants.What I doknow is that thehope andvigorthis possibility produced in these individuals created a positive wavethatspreadthroughouttheTOL.In2008,Dr.CousenspublishedThereIsaCure forDiabetes:TheTreeofLife21-Day+Program,whichaddressesstoriesliketheseindetailandisprobablyworthareadforanyonewithdiabetesorforthelovedoneofsomeonewithdiabetes.Auniquestoryaboutthetransitiontotherawlifestylewasrelatedtome by a man I will call Jim. At the age of sixty-five, Jim was acontented,peacefulresidentoftheTOL,butthistransitiondidnotcomeaboutbecauseofhealthissues,thewaythatrawfoodgrabsmostpeople.Jimspentallofhisprofessionallifeasanairplanepilot.Hewasstressed,hadabaddiet,andwasgettingreadytoretire.Hewasingoodhealth,but he felt something wasmissing in his life. Jim found that missingpuzzlepiecewhenhemetandstudiedwithGabrielCousens.Inadditiontobeingamedicaldoctor,Dr.Cousensisalsoadoctorofdivinitywhoreceived rabbinical initiation. As a result, the TOL engenders a verystrong spiritual community. Jim realized that spirituality was themissing component in his life. After meeting Dr. Cousens and beingintroduced to the spiritual component of the raw and living foodlifestyle,atleastasitispracticedattheTOL,JimmadethedecisiontodedicatehislifetohelpingothersattheTOLandspreadingtherawandlivingfoodlifestyleandphilosophy.

NataliaRose

NataliaRose’sstorymaybethebestrawfoodstorysimplybecauseitisnot a story. Rose is a young nutritionist who trained at New YorkUniversity. Through her studies and assessments of other nutritional

alternatives,shechosewhatcouldbetermedamodifiedrawfooddiet.Roseprobablyrepresents thenew,emerginggenerationofrawfoodists—thosewhodon’thavemuchofastory,butjusteatthiswaybecauseitis the healthiest way they have found to sustain their bodies. Rosepracticesanddescribesamodifiedrawfooddietinherbooks.Herfocusisonbringingtherawandlivingfoodphilosophyintothemainstream.Rose’stheoriesaredescribedinvariousplacesinthisbook.Inaddition,herroleasa leader in therawfoodmovement isdescribed inChapterThree,“RawLeaders.”

VictoriaBoutenko

Victoria Boutenko has written so many books about the raw foodexperience that she has her own publishing firm, called Raw FamilyPublishing.Victoria’sbooksincludeGreenforLife,12StepstoRawFoods,RawFamily:ATrue Story ofAwakening, andGreen Smoothie Revolution.Victoria,herhusband,Igor,andtheirtwochildrenmovedfromRussiatoDenver, where she accepted a position to teach political science at acollegethere.TheywereaperfectlyhealthyfamilybackinRussia.Oncein the United States, they became mesmerized by the Americansupermarket and vowed to try every colorful box on the shelves. In ayear,Victoriagainedonehundredpoundsandwassufferingfromheartarrhythmias.Hersonwentintoadiabeticcomaaftereatingapillowcasefull ofHalloween candy andwas diagnosedwith type 1 diabetes.Herhusbanddevelopedseverehyperthyroidismandheartarrhythmias.Not able to find the answers she wanted from doctors or books,

Victoria began to look to others for advice. In particular, she noticedthatcertainpeople lookhealthierandhaveaglowtothem.Shebeganasking every healthy-looking person she saw what their secret was.Shortly after she made this decision, she found the answer she waslooking for.Averyhealthy-lookingwomanwhomshemet in thebankclaimedtohavecuredherselfofcoloncancerthroughtherawfooddiet.This encounter causedVictoria to embark onwhat, so far, has been alifelongjourneytobringtherawandlivingfoodlifestyletoherfamilyandtoothers.

AnnWigmore

Ann Wigmore, often referred to as the mother of the raw foodmovement,wasabigproponentofthevaluesofwheatgrass,juicing,andsprouting. While in Germany during World War II, she first saw hergrandmothertreatsoldiers’woundswithwheatgrasswithahighdegreeof success. She remembered this and when Ann was diagnosed withcolon cancer, she made the decision to treat herself with wheatgrassjuice instead of undergoing conventional treatment. Wigmore curedherselfofcoloncancerusingwheatgrasstherapy.Sheeventuallyaddedotherjuicesandsprouting(soakingseeds,nuts,andbeans)asstaplestoherrawfooddietandhernaturalapproachtohealthcare.AnnWigmoreisalsodiscussedinChapterThree.

NormanWalker

NormanWalker isoftenreferred toas the fatherof therawand livingfood and juicing movements. In particular, Dr. Walker was key increating the firstmanual and thenmechanical juicers.Dr.Walker tellsthe story in many of his books, including Vibrant Health and BecomeYounger, about how during his recovery from a breakdown, he wasstaying at a farmhouse in the European countryside. One day, whilewatchinghishostesspeelacarrot,henoticedthemoistnessontheinsideof the peel and believed this liquid probably held the essence of thenutrients in the vegetable. He proceeded to experiment on himself byonlydrinkingjuicesofalltypesoffruitsandvegetablestodetermineiftheywould improve his life. In a short time, he began seeing positiveresultsbothphysicallyandmentally.Relyingpredominatelyonjuicesforhisnutrition,Dr.Walkercontinuedto live this lifestyleuntilhewasatleast100yearsold.Hisageappearstobedisputedandsomeresourcesrecordhimaslivingaslongas115years.Dr.WalkerisalsodiscussedinChapterThree.

WoodyHarrelson

Celebritiesattractattentiontothecausestheypromote.Forthatreason,WoodyHarrelson’sembracingoftherawfoodlifestylehasturnedsome

heads.WhenEmmaleaand I lived inNewYorkCityduringher senioryearinhighschool,wewouldseeWoodyfrequentlyintheCandleCafé,a vegan restaurant on the Upper East Side, and we suspected he wasindeed a vegan. It was not until his foreword to Renée LouxUnderkoffler’s un-cookbook, Living Cuisine: The Art and Spirit of RawFoods, thathedeclaredhimselfarawfoodist.WhenWoodyfirstate inRenée’s restaurant,TheRawExperience,withGabrielCousens,hewasnotarawfoodist.Althoughhewasacutelyawareofthebenefitsofthedietand the lifestyle,hebelievedhewouldhave to sacrifice tasteandsubstancetomaintainit.TheexperienceofthetastyandbeautifulfoodservedatTheRawExperiencetransformedHarrelsonintoarawfoodie.He says in the foreword to thebook, “Anyonewhohas tastedRenée’spies knows that desserts can taste great and don’t have to be bad foryou.Thatisthebeginningofrevolutionarythinkingaboutfood.”1

CarolAlt

Inherbook,Eating in theRaw,Alt,a formersupermodel,describeshereating habits growing up on Long Island in the 1960s and 1970s.Cooked, processed foods, with a lot of pasta, white bread, and meat,werestaples.Altevendescribeshowshegrewupthinkingthatbroccoliwas found in nature in bite-size chunks because the only broccoli sheever saw was from the Birds Eye frozen plastic bags that her motherdropped into boilingwater. She claims shewas fed but not nourished.Then,afterbecomingamodel,shelostweightandfoundherselffeelingtired,irritable,anddepressedalotofthetime.Shewasdiagnosedwithhypoglycemia, and thenutritionist toldher thatherbodywas literallyeating itself. Later, she developed sinus and gastrointestinal problemsand a daily habit ofwaking up to scotch, coffee, andwhipped cream,andfallingtosleepwithNyQuil.In1996,sheheardaboutafriendwhowas diagnosedwith severe cervical cancer. Before undergoing surgery,the friend saw a doctor, Timothy Brantley, who prescribed herbs,supplements, juicing, and raw foods. After sixmonths, she received acleanbillofhealth—shewascancerfree.Altherselfsoughtconsultationwiththesamedoctorandhaspracticedtherawandlivingfoodlifestyleeversince.

JoelFuhrman,MD

Dr.Fuhrman’sstoryisaboutfindingacureinfasting.Dr.Furhmanisastaunchproponentofeatingfresh,rawfoodswheneverpossible.Butheisnotastrictrawfoodist.Healsoeatscookedfoods.Ihaveincludedhisstory here because fasting is an important component of the raw foodphilosophy, and his is one of the best fasting stories in print. Hedescribesthestoryinhisbook,FastingandEatingforHealth.At the age of twenty, Dr. Fuhrman was a world-class Olympic iceskatinghopefulwhenhewasinjured.Hislower-leginjurylefthimwithchronic inflammation that could not be successfully treated bytraditionalmedicine.Whenasurgeontoldhimthathewouldneverwalkagain,Dr.Fuhrmanmadethedecisiontoundergoa lengthy,medicallysupervisedfast,ashisfatherhaddoneyearsearliertocurehisarthritis.Dr.Fuhrman fasted for forty-sixdaysatDr.Shelton’sHealthSchool inAustin,Texas.Hewas completely curedandwenton toplace third inthe World Professional Figure Skating Championships. Today, Dr.Fuhrman is probably the most well-known physician managingmedicallysupervisedfastsforhispatients.

SarmaMelngailis

Sarma’sstoryisoneaboutbecomingaconvertbasedontheappealandtasteofrawfood.Inherbook,RawFood/RealWorld,shedescribeshertransition.Sarma’smotherwasaprofessionalchefandtaughtheragreatdeal about cooking. Eventually, Sarma graduated from the FrenchCulinaryInstituteandworkedinandownedafewtraditionalrestaurantsinNewYorkCity.In2001,SarmaandafrienddinedatQuintessence,arawrestaurantinNewYorkCity.Theywerebothsoimpressedwiththefood and the large crowd this small restaurant attracted that theydecidedrightthentostarttheirownrawfoodbusiness,nowknownasPureFoodandWinerestaurant,atakeawaycafé,andOneLuckyDuck,for raw foods online. I also discuss Sarma in Chapter Three, “RawLeaders,”becauseofhercontributionstomainstreamingrawfoods.

BrendaCobb

Brenda Cobb, a raw food author, gourmet, and food preparationinstructor,describesherconversion to raw food inherbookTheLivingFoods Lifestyle, and on her Web site www.livingfoodsinstitute.com.Brendaovercametheearlystagesofbreastandcervicalcancerwithoutthe use of drugs or surgery by following the simple principles ofdetoxificationandnutrition.Shealsowipedoutherallergies,acidreflux,indigestion,arthritis,obesity,liverspots,andgrayhair.SheadoptedtheprinciplesoftheHippocratesHealthInstituteinFloridaand,since1999,hasdedicatedher life to teachingothers about theseprinciples. Inherbookshefeaturesthestories(andpictures)ofmanypeoplewholearnedabout detoxification and the raw food lifestyle from her institute. Thestoriesareinspiringforanyone.

ReturnersandExtremists

In my travels through the raw diet community, I have run intoindividualswhodescribethemselvesasconstantlygoingbackandforthbetweenrawandnon-rawcuisine.Thisisnotnecessarilyabadthingifyousubscribetotherawfoodphilosophyoverallandjustbouncebackand forth inyourpercentages.Forexample, Ihaveheardmanypeopledescribe themselves as being 75 percent raw in the cold months andclose to100percent in the summermonths.Because these individualsusually crave hot, cooked foods in the cold months, cooked foodsconstitutetheremaining25percentduringthewinter.Rawfoodleaders,like Gabriel Cousens, describe this type of practice as healthful. Andindividualswhopracticelikethisarelikelytoobtainsustainedbenefitsfrom eating a diet of living foods. These folks return to a higherpercentageofrawfoodwhenitmakessenseforthem.Theystayinthehealthful zone overall, but leave themselves some slack to respond totheirbodies’changes.Ontheotherhand,extremistsareindividualswhogofromoneendof

thedietspectrumtotheother,eatingtotallyrawforamonthortwoandthen eating totally cooked and/or processed food for a fewmonths.AgoodexampleofthiswasduringarecentrawfoodpreparationretreatIattended.Whileinclass,everyoneatleastprofessedtobearawfoodist.Andtheonlytypeoffoodavailableontheretreatcampuswas,indeed,

raw. However, there were usually three or four of the students whowoulddrive into towneachevening, findarestaurant,and loaduponcooked food,desserts, and sweets that theywould sneakback into theretreat.Youcouldusuallyhearthediscussionsthenextmorningbeforethe instructor started class. This is not unlike other types of dietaryextremes we hear about. For example, it is not uncommon forindividuals to bounce back and forth from the Atkins diet to thestandardAmericandiet.One secretary toaCEOata largecorporationoncetoldmethat inher lifetimeshehadlostmorethantwothousandpoundsontheAtkinsdiet.IttookmeawhilebeforeIrealizedthattheweightshewastalkingaboutwascumulativelossesovertime.Herstorywasanexampleofdietaryextremism,alsoknownastheyo-yoeffect.Theproblemwith thedietaryextremistsat the raw foodretreatwas

thattheytreatedtherawlifestyleasadiet.Aslongasyoubelieveitisadiet,youwilllikelyreactasyouwouldtoanydiet:adheringforashorttime(ormaybeevenalongtime),buteventuallyrevertingbacktooldhabits.Thispractice isnotahealthyone. It ispossible thatanyhealthbenefits gained from the raw food intake might be negated byconsistentlyrevertingbacktointakeofcookedandprocessedfoods.Theconstant stress of change on the body can be damaging. The raw andlivingfoodlifestyleismeanttobringaboutease,notstress.Sopracticingextremeeatingiscounterproductivetothelifestyle.

DeterminingWhat’sRightforYou

Asyouwadethroughthisinformation,thebottomlineistodecidewhatworksbestforyou.Perhapsyoucanusethesestoriestodeterminewhichchanges,ifany,youwouldliketomakeinyourownhabits.Inordertomakeanyeffectiveorsustainablechange,thechangemustbeonethatisacceptable to your body. This is particularly true of any nutritionalchange. One of the best descriptions of why your body needs to beacceptingofthechangesyoumakeisdescribedbyRogerWilliamsinhisbook Biochemical Individuality. Williams first published his theory in1956, but the book has reemerged in popularity andwas reprinted in1998.The theory isbasedupon the fact thateveryoneofushasveryspecific, genetically determined nutrition requirements. The biological

characteristicsthatareuniquetoyoumaybethemostimportantfactorintheeffectivenessandsuccessofanynutritionalplanyoufollow.Otherfactorstoconsiderareyourphysicalandemotionalneeds.

CHAPTER2

YourStory

In the Introduction and ChapterOne, you read about the basicprinciples of the raw food philosophy aswell as stories of individualswhopractice the philosophy.Chapters Three through Sixteen focus onrawandlivingfoodleadersandrawandlivingfoodconcepts,soyoucandoyourownanalysisandmakeyourowndecisions.Thebestwaytodoany analysis is by applying a framework that incorporates your ownthoughts and feelings and successful experimentation regarding whatfoodsworkbestforyou.Youcanusetheinformationinthischaptertodojustthat.Thischapterprovidesyouwithaway toassessyourownneedsand

opinions regarding food and diet. Use some of it or all of it. Thequestionsyouwillanswerandthestructureyouwillcreateforyourselfmaymakeyoumoreawareofyourfoodchoices.Mostimportantly,thestructure you build will provide a dynamic, nutritionally sound,sustainablemethodforeatingthatisuniquetoyou.

AdaptiveEating

Adaptation is the process of fitting or suiting one thing to another.1Adaptiveeating is theprocessof fittingyour food intake tomeetyourown specific nutritional needs. While some of this adaptation can beabouteating foods thatyouenjoy, theprimary focus shouldbeon thenutritionalbenefitsofthefoodtoyourbody.Eatingpatternscannotandshould not be adapted universally. The best combination will occurwhenthefoodyoueatisgoodforyouandyouenjoyeatingit.

PeteandJanearebothexamplesofmaladaptiveeaters.Petedoesnoteatbreakfastorlunchonmostdays.Whenhedoesgrabaquicklunch,itisusuallyanEnglishmuffinslatheredwithbutter.Heeatsanenormousdinner each evening usually consisting of two to three large pieces ofmeat, two largehelpingsofmashedpotatoeswithbutter,andacanofcookedyellowcorn.Rightbeforebedheeatsalargeroastbeefsandwichon white bread withmayonnaise and butter. Pete loves the taste andtextureofhisfood.Ashedescribeshiseating,“Iamashappyasapiginapoke.”Jane,ontheotherhand,isveryvigilantabouthereatinghabits.Shebegins each morning with two shots of wheatgrass, followed fifteenminuteslaterbyagreensmoothieofblendedkaleandbananas.Lunchisspinachoranotherleafygreenvegetablesalad.Anddinnerisbrownrice,broccoli, leafy greens, and strawberries or other fruit for dessert. Janefeelshealthybutadmitstogaggingalmosteverymorningatthethoughtofwheatgrass.Shealsocraveschocolatedailyandmay“givein”onceaweek, afterwhich she scolds herself andwithholds fruit the followingday.Evenforsomeonewithnonutritionaltraining,theissuesinvolvedinbothPete’sandJane’sdailyeatinghabitsareapparent.Peteishappybutis likely on a quick road to an early heart attack. Jane’s food intakeappearstobe100percenthealthy,butshehascheckedoutemotionallyandmentally fromher eating habits. Both need tomake changes. Buteachneeds toundertakedietaryandbehavioralmodifications thatwillworkforthem.Theirchangesneedtooccurinthefollowingorder:

1.RecognitionoftheNeedforChange

ForbothPeteandJane,unlesstheyrecognizethattheireatinghabitsarehavingormayhaveharmfulconsequences,theyareunlikelytochange.In fact, even if they recognize theirunhealthypatterns, the chancesofmaking a change are still not in their favor since habits are hard tobreak.Atthispoint,itappearsthatPeteandJanehavedevelopedeatingpatternsoverasignificantenoughtimethattheyare,infact,habits.PeteandJaneneedtomakechanges,butthetypesofchangesandtheroot cause for each are different. In Pete’s case, his need to change is

physical.His eatinghabits are either harminghis bodynowor settingthestageforsignificantfutureproblems.InJane’scase,shecontinuestoforceherself to engage in eatinghabits that appear to benutritionallysound but are emotionally harmful. The ultimate goal for each of usshould be to engage in eating habits that are both physically andemotionally beneficial to our bodies and to ourminds. But unless werecognizeandbelievethatweareoutofbalance,weareunlikelytoevenconsiderachange.Ifyouwantdifferentresults,youneedtochangetheinput.Thismeanschangingwhatyouareeatinganddrinking.EachofthemorethanonehundreddietarytheoriesthatexistfrommacrobioticstotheSouthBeachDiettotheAtkinsdiethasaspecificprescriptionforwhatwillwork,ingeneral,forindividualspracticingthatdietarytheory.Theproblemwithmostdietarytheoriesisthattheyfallshortofasolutionwhenoneoftwothings happens: either we lose our willpower to follow the specificdietary criteria orwe follow the criteria and, after some time, plateauandfinditdifficulttomaintaintheresultsweweregettingwhenwefirststartedthediet.In the casewhere you lose thewillpower to continue to follow thediet, an overall self-assessment is probably necessary to determinewhether the diet is a good solution for you.More importantly, if youhave sustained the diet and reached a plateau, you can becomefrustratedhereaswell.Youmaynotbefeelingashealthyandvibrant,oryoumaynotbelosingasmuchweightasyouwereinitially.Whateverresult you are looking for, one thing is clear: you need to change theinputtogetadifferentresult.Eventherawfoodlifestylerequiresperiodicchanges.Somedescribeitasperiodicallyjump-startingthebodyorgivingitthatlittlenudgetogetmoving again. Just like our bodies, ourminds cease to respond to thesame exact regimenweek afterweek,month aftermonth.Oneway toavertthisistomakeachange,evenifitisabriefone.Therearealotofinterestingexerciseswecandowithourminds just togetmoving inadifferentpath.Oneofmyfavoritesisreadingseveralpagesfromabookupside down. Another is meditation. The list goes on. What is mostimportant is that you engage in some change, even a small degree ofchange,torechargeyourmind.

Thesamegoesforyourbody.Acommonpracticeamongrawfoodistsistoparticipateinweeklongjuiceorwaterfaststhreetofourtimesperyear.Thispracticeisconsideredbothaphysicalandaspiritualcleansingritual.Luckily,youdonotneedtotakesuchdrasticmeasurestojump-start your body. Some changes can create an impact in one day,dependingonyourcurrentdietarypractices.Theseexamplesinclude:aone-dayjuicefast,eatingonlyfruitforaday,eatingallfreshvegetablesforaday(cookedoruncooked),oreliminatingsugarfromyourdietfora week. The possibilities are endless and depend on your currentnutrition, lifestyle,andgoals.Myyearly jumpstartoccurswhen IgiveupeatingchocolateforfortydaysduringLent.Thinkaboutwhatmightmakeadifferenceforyou,thentryexperimentingforadayortwoatatimetoseehowyoufeel.

2.EducationandAnalysis

Oncewedeterminethatweneedtomakeachange,weneedinformationto educate ourselves. Sources of information include nutritionists, ourprimarycarephysicianorotherhealthcarepractitioner,theInternet,orone of the tens of thousands of nutrition books. It is impossible toprovide a comprehensive means for determining credibility of allnutritional resources. However, Table 2.1 contains a few essentialcriteriayoucanstartwith.

3.Self-experimentation

Youareyourownbestexperiment.Infact,intheareaofrawandlivingfoodnutrition,wehavelearnedthemostfromindividualslikeNormanWalker and Ann Wigmore, who were willing to experiment onthemselvestoseewhatworkedanddidn’twork.Thelimitationwiththiskindofexperimentisthattheresultscanreallyonlybeappliedwithahigh degree of confidence to the individual on whom the experimentwasconducted.Wecanrepeat itand try itoutourselves,butuntilwedo, what was successful for Dr. Walker or Dr. Wigmore cannot bedeterminedtobe100percentsuccessfulforeachofus.

Table 2.1—Criteria for Assessing Credibility of NutritionalResources

HEALTHCAREPRACTITIONER

Doestheindividualhaveadegreeorspecifictraininginnutrition?Isshecredentialed?Licensed?

BOOKTOPIC

Sticktotopicsongeneralnutritionifpossible,andnotaboutspecificdiets.IntegrativeNutritionbyJoshuaRosenthalisagoodexampleofsuchabook.Headdresseseverynutritionaltheoryinathoroughandobjectiveway.

AUTHOR

Doestheauthorhaveadegreeand/orspecifictraininginnutrition?Hastheauthortaughtand/orcounseledpeopleinnutritioninthepast?

ORGANIZATIONS

IfyouaregettinginformationfromanorganizationorWebsite,isitacredibleresourcelikeMayoClinic,ClevelandClinic,WeightWatchers,orevenWebMD?

YOUROWNPREFERENCES

Consideryourownpreferencesinselectingaresource.Forexample,ifyoupreferaholisticapproachtohealthcare,youwillbemorelikelytolistentoadvicefromsomeonelikeGaryNullratherthantheMayoClinic.

Tryingoutdietarychangesonyourselfisbeneficialinmanyways.Forexample,ifyouareactivelyengagedinassessingyourresponsetoeverychange you make, you will be more aware of yourself overall—moreconscious. As a result, you are more likely to be in touch with yourfeelings.Ifandwhenyoudecide topractice self-experimentation innutrition,

therearetwothingstokeepinmind:

(1)Usecredibleresourcestoguideyourdecisionsonhowtoexperiment.Forexample, you only want to change things in your diet that you know arehealthy and cannot harm you.While every experiment you undertakemaynotproduceagoodresult,youshouldnotbeexperimentingwithchoicesthatcould harm you. For example, while you may want to add wheatgrass orleafygreenstoyourdiettoseehowyourbodyresponds,youwouldnotwanttoeat thewildmushroomsgrowing inyourbackyard toseehowyourbodyreacts.

(2)Makeonlyonechange,orundertakeonlyoneexperiment,atatime.Inthe design of experiments, ifwe changemore than one thing at a time,wehave to design complex statisticalmodels to try to determine the impact ofone change versus the other change. In experimenting with individualnutrition,itisimpossibletodesignanymeaningfulstatisticalanalysistoweedoutthesignificantimpact.Soyourbestbetistomakeonechangeatatime.One of the most common nutritional missteps is taking more than onesupplement,allbeginningonthesameday.Let’ssayyousuddenlyhaveanepiphanythatsupplementsaretheway

toincreaseyourenergylevelandnutrition.Youreadseveralbooksandtalkwithanutritionist.Aftersomeanalysis,youdecidetotakecod-liveroil (for vitaminD), vitamin E,magnesium, calcium, and potassium. Ifyou feel badly after beginning the regimen, you will need to eithereliminate all supplements together and then start over one by one oreliminatethesupplementsonebyoneuntil,basedonimprovedhealth,you are able to determine the culprit supplement. Had you initiallystartedtheprocessbytakingonenewsupplementatatime,youcouldhavedeterminedhowyourbodywasreactingtoeachsupplementasyou

wentthroughtheprocess.

4.MakingSmallChanges

In theUnitedStates inparticular,when it comes todiet andnutritionchanges,weusuallywanttomakebigchangesrightaway.Weare,afterall, the country that made the acronym BHAG (Big Hairy AudaciousGoal)popular.Themostfashionabledietshavebeenaboutbigchanges.Eliminateall carbohydrates.Eliminateall fats.Eatonly grapefruit for aweek. You get the point. The most common result of big changesundertakentooquicklyistheyo-yoeffect.Yousucceedforashorttime,fail,thenstartoveragain.Thisisfollowedbymoreshort-termsuccess,failure,andrepeatingthecycle.Ifyourobjectiveissuccess,thenstartingwithincrementaladjustmentsandmakingsmallchanges,oneatatime,maybethebestapproachtotake.Don’tgetmewrong:IamnotsuggestingthatyougiveuponBHAGs.I

am,however,suggestingthatyoudeterminewhatallofyoursmallstepswillbetoreachthatgoal.Yourfocusshouldbeonthesmallsteps.Thesestepsshouldbeeasybecausetheycomenaturallytoyou.Ifyoufinditisdifficulttosticktothesmallchanges,thenstopandgoback.Youneedtorethinkthechange.Itdoesnotmatterhowmanytimesyoustopandgoback. Itcouldbeonehundred,one thousand,oreven ten thousandtimes.Theimportantthingisthatyoukeepgoingbackandreassessingthechangesuntilyoufindonesyoucanstickto.Youareworthit.

5.AssesstheImpactoftheChanges

After you havemade a change, determine the impact, if any, that thechangehashadonyou.Doyoufeelmoreor lessenergetic? Irritableorpeaceful?Whatotheradjectivescanyouuse tocontrast theyoubeforethechangewiththeyouafterthechange?Themoreadjectivesyoucanselect, thebetter.Youneedsufficientdataaboutyourself todeterminewhether the changeyoumadeproducedadesirable result. Inorder toassess impact you need to be aware of yourself before and after thechange.Youneedtobepatient.Theimpactofchangecantaketime.Payattentiontoyourself.Listentoyourbody,mind,andheart.

6.KeepWhatWorks,ChangeWhatDoesn’tWork

Iftheresultproducedbythechangeyoumadeiswhatyoudesire,youmaywant to continue. Otherwise, stop the new practice immediately.And if you stop, you should be readywith your next experiment. Forexample, let’s sayyoudecide it’s time to increase the amountof freshvegetablesyoueatdaily.Youstartbyeatingcucumberseveryday.Younoticesomeindigestionafteraboutthreedaysofeatingthecucumbers,whichcanhappenwithvegetablesthathaveseeds.Inthiscase,youstopeating the cucumbers and replace themwith broccoli. You follow thischangewiththesameanalysisandkeepwhatworks,andyoucontinuetoeliminatewhatdoesnotwork.Keepinmindthatpartofthecriteriafor“keepingwhatworks”iswhetheryouactuallyenjoythefood.Ifyoudonotenjoywhatyoueat,youwillnotbeable tosustainthechange,evenif it isgoodforyou.Sustainability isanimportantcriteria inthisstructure.Soifyoufindthat,likeJane,wheatgrassjuicemakesyougag,eliminateitimmediatelyfromyourregimen.

BiochemicalIndividuality

ThetheoryofbiochemicalindividualitywasfirstintroducedbyRogerJ.Williams, PhD, in his book Biochemical Individuality: The Key toUnderstandingWhatShapesYourHealth.Theconceptisdescribedasbio-individuality by Joshua Rosenthal, MScEd, in his book IntegrativeNutrition:FeedYourHungerforHealthandHappiness.Williamsnotesthatthe principle can be stated as, “Every individual organism that has adistinctive genetic background has distinctive nutritional needs whichmustbemetforoptimalwell-being”2WhenWilliamswrotethebookin1956,hebelievedournutritionalhabits thenwerenotsound.Werehestill alive today, he would shudder at the content of the standardAmericandiet.YoucantakeWilliams’principlesandusethemtodevelopyourbestnutritionalplan.Williamswasascientist,soheusedobjective,soliddatatosupporthisclaims.Wecanusesomeofthisdatatobetterunderstandhow each of us is unique andwhywe should approach our nutritionindividually.Someoftheconclusionshearrivesat,usingscientificdata,

are:

The human stomach, liver, and colon all vary greatly in shape,position, and form in different individuals (Dr. Williams providesillustrations of these differences on pages 22, 27, and 28 of hisbook).Thenormalrangeofnaturallyoccurringsubstancesinourbloodisquite large. For example, the normal range of sodium in bloodserumis132to144mg/1,000mlandthenormalrangeofchlorideinwholebloodis71to87mg/1,000ml.Andtherangeforzincisanywherefrom488to1,272mg/1,000ml.Several studies show that there are differences in the amounts ofminerals (such as calcium and potassium) needed by differentindividuals.Dr.Williams reviewsandquotes fromseveralof thesestudiesinhisbook.

I am not suggesting that Dr.Williams’ theory be taken as themostcutting-edgesolution tonutrition. It is,however,a theory thatappearstohaveasoundbasis,andithaswithstoodthetestoftime.Essentially,Dr. Williams is saying that the best nutritional practices for our ownphysicalandmentalhealthare specific tous. It is agood idea,and insomecasesmaybenecessary, topartnerwithaphysician,nutritionist,or other health care practitioner to help you make certain decisions.Certainly, if youwant to determinewhether you have anymineral orvitamindeficiencies,youwillneedaphysiciantoordertheappropriatetests. But you should always ask for copies of the results and askquestions about what the results mean and the steps you can take tomakeanynecessarychanges.

VariabilityinNutritionalNeeds

Recognizing your biochemical individuality andmaking changes basedonwhatmakesnutritional senseandwhatmakesyou feelgoodmeansyou are attaining optimal nutrition. Determiningwhatmakes you feelgood should be relatively easy—as long as you pay attention to yourbody whenever you make a change. However, determining what is

nutritionallysoundforeachofusmaynotbequitesoeasy.Inordertocreate a sustainable plan for yourself, you need to combine soundnutritionalpracticeswithyourphilosophyoflife.Thiscombinationwillcreateanutritionalplanthatreflectsyouandwhatyouwantfromlife.Ioffer two concepts as building blocks for a simple way to internalizesoundnutritionalpracticesandfordevelopingyourownnutritionalroadmap. The first is creating your own nutritional values, vision, andmission statement (VVMS) and the second, in Appendix Three, is thefederalgovernment’snewfoodpyramid,MyPyramid.

YouNeedaMap

Youmaynothave thoughta lot aboutnutritionoryoureatinghabits.Some of us may think about it, but we are so overwhelmed by thenumerous choices that it is hard to know where to begin. There arehundredsofdietbookspublishedeveryyear.Nutritionaldietgurustouttheirphilosophiesoninfomercials,andwehearsuggestionsfromhealthcareprofessionals,thegovernment,andothers.Thelistofpossibilitiesinnutritionanddietchoicesseemsendless.The obvious question to ask yourself is, “Where is the best place to

start?”Startwithyou.Makeyourselfaplanandthencreateamap.Yourplanbeginswithwhatmattersmosttoyou,yourvalues.Yourmapwillinclude these values along with your vision and mission statement(VVMS)foryournutrition.YoucanuseyournutritionalVVMSinotherareasofyourpersonalandprofessional life,but fornow, let’s focusonyournutritionalplanning.

Values:WhatDoIValueinMyFood?

You need to ask yourself three key questions: (1)What qualities do Ienjoyinfood?(2)HowdoIwanttolookandfeel?(3)Aremyanswerstonumber1andnumber2inharmonywitheachother?Forexample,inyour response to number 1 you say that you love hot and spicy food,whichgivesyouindigestion.Then,inyourresponsetonumber2yousaythatyouwanttohavenodigestiveproblems.Inthiscase,yourresponsestoquestions1and2donotharmonizewitheachother.Soyouwillneed

toeithermakechangesintheamountofhotandspicyfoodyoueatorchange the result you are looking for (be okay with suffering fromindigestion).Let’s consider number 1, What qualities do I enjoy in food? What

textures,colors,amounts(ifyouareabigeater),temperatures,degreesofsweetnessorspiciness,orotherqualitiesoffoodappealtoyoumost?Makealistofthosequalities.Ilikefoodthatis:

(Youcanevenmentionyourtoptwoorthreefavoritefoodshereifyouhavesomefavorites.)

Keepgoing.Ifweweretoonlyconsiderwhatfeelsgoodonourtongue,andourtastebudscravedsweet,salty,andoilyfoods,wewouldlikelybeobese, irritable,andgenerallyunhealthy—characteristicswearenotlikelytovalue.Sowemust includeoursecondcriteria forvalues:howyouwanttolookandfeel.Youarewhatyoueat.Whatgoesin,comesout.Theclichésgoon.But

ultimatelyyourfoodisyourfuel.Ifyouareinputtingdieselfuelintoatank that requireshigh-octaneunleadedgas,yourcarwillnotoperate.It’sthesamewithyourbody.Thoughwemaynotthinkaboutitmuch,weallknow this.Sohowdoyouwant to lookand feel?Whatdoyouvalue?Someexamplesincludehighenergy,leanand/ormuscularbodymass,ahealthyglowtoyourskin,regularelimination,clearheadedness,and peacefulness. Make a list of the qualities you are looking for intermsofbodyfunctionandappearance.Forexample,doyouwanttobeabletoexercisefivetimesperweekforanhourorsevendaysaweekforthirty minutes a day? Do you want to master a particular sport oractivitysuchasyoga,Pilates,tennis,orbasketball?

Now, the third step is todetermine if thevalues in (1) and (2) thatyouidentifiedareinharmonywitheachother.Formostofustherewillbe some need to reconcile the two lists. This reconciliation may bepainful. You need to reconcile the two lists so you can achieve yourdesired outcome. If it’s too frustrating, start small. You can reconcilepiecesof the lists.Makesmallchanges thatyou feelconfidentyoucanmaintain.Remember any changeyoumake is (or should be) based onyour own values statements about what you value in how your bodylooksandperforms.Youaremakingtherulesofthegame,nobodyelse.Iwill illustratewithmy own brief example. The two characteristics

that I look formost in foodare chocolateandwhat I refer toasgreencrunchy stuff. Through years of experimentation, I have found that ondayswhenIdon’teatgreenstuff,Ifeelirritableanddepressed.Althoughnotscientificallyproven,Ibelievetheremustbesomethinginthegreen,chlorophyllproperties that impactsmybrainchemistry. In fact, Ioftensay,“OndayswhenIdon’teatgreen,Ifeelblue.”IwouldbeinheavenifIcouldexistonadietofchocolateandbroccoli.Thesedays,it’sraw,dark chocolate and raw broccoli. However, if I eat like this for morethanaday,Ifindthatmyhairfallsout,myfingernailsbreakoff, Iamirritable, and I begin to develop other signs of protein deficiency.Myvalues for how I want to look and feel do not include thesecharacteristics.Iwanttohavehighenergyandlowbodyfat,tobealertandmentallyaware,tobeabletoengageinatleastonehourofaerobicexerciseaday,andtohaveshinyhairandahealthyglowtomyskin.So,likemostofus,IneedtoreconcilewhatIvalueintaste(whatgoes

in)withwhatIvalueinbodyperformance(whatcomesout,orhowmybodyusesthefuelIgiveit).Istilleatplentyofbroccoliandchocolate.However, I alsomake sure that eachday I eat rawandunsalted seedsandnuts,seavegetables,andsproutedbeansforprotein.Ieatavarietyof colorful vegetables, to help the glow of my skin, including redpeppers, carrots, yams, spinach, bok choy, and rainbow chard. I takevitaminsDandEforshinyhair.And,becauseIdonoteatmeat,amainsourceofvitaminB12,ItakeavitaminBsupplement.

Somedays,Iwilleatadietofonlychocolateandbroccoli.ButIpayforthisindulgence.MybodytellsmeitistimetostopmessingaroundifIwanttheresultonmysecondlistofvalues.SoIstopmessingaround.AndIgobacktothelistoften—sometimesjusttoreviewitandreaffirmmycommitment tomyvaluesstatement.My listhasalsoevolvedoverthedecades.Tenyearsago,Iateonlymilkchocolate(notrawordark)and I had never heard of bok choy or rainbow chard. I ate a lot ofcooked carbs like rice and potatoes, especially in the winter. Whoknows,Imayaddthesebackintomydietsomeday,dependingonhowmybodyreactstothefoodonmycurrentlist.VVMSaremeanttobedynamicdocuments.SoIhopeyouwillcreate

yourownthree-partnutritionalvalueslistingthatincludes(1)whatyouliketoeat,(2)whatyouwantyourbodytodo,and(3)areconciliationstatement. Start with what you know about yourself. Then, as youincreaseawarenessofyourintakeandyourbody’sreactions,continuetorefine each part of your values statement.Write your own analysis ofwhetheryouranswerstoquestion1areinharmonywithyouranswerstoquestion2.

Vision:HowDoISeeMyself?

Apersonalvisionisapictureofyourselfinthefuture,apictureofwhereyouaregoing.Oneoption is toadopt theWorldHealthOrganization’sdefinition of healthy and say that you are looking for “a state ofcompletephysical,mental,andsocialwell-being,andtheabilitytoleada socially and economically productive life.”3 Your health, of whichnutritionisaprimarydeterminingfactor,ismultifaceted.Youmaythinkin general or specific categories when creating your vision statement.Identifying categories youwant to include in your vision andmissionstatements ensures that you are including all the relevant, importantareas. Examples of categories youmaywant to include in your vision

statementare:

PhysicalfitnesslevelQualityofyourhair,skin,andbodycompositionMental/emotionalhealthMindfulness/awarenessHealthcareproviderswithwhomyouarecollaboratingManagementofhealthinformationorkeepingafooddiary

Hereisanexampleofahealthvisionstatement,byJackLaLanne,ageninety-four,who still exercises daily: “By remaining physically fit andeatinghealthy,Iwillcontinueteachingasmanypeopleaspossibletoeathealthy,wholefoodsandtoexercisedailytoleadahealthierlife.”4

Writeyourownvisionstatementforyourfuturehealthandnutritionnow:

TakeaSnapshot

A vision statement includes a picture in your mind of how you seeyourselfphysicallyinthefuture.Thisvisualizationhelpsyouachievethevisionstatementthatyouhavecreated.Forexample,thefollowingisanexampleofasnapshotoffuturehealth:“Tocrossonelastfinishlineasmywife and ten children applaud.” This is from Lance Armstrong, aswritten inhisbook It’sNotAbout theBike:MyJourneyBack toLife.Hehad only one child when he wrote the book.5 Creating a snapshot inyourmindandwritingitdownonpapercanbeverymotivating.Itcanalsoconfirmforyouwhatyouarelookingtoachieve.Creatingapicture,asnapshot,isalsoawayofmakingacommitmenttoyourself.Describethesnapshotofyourselfinthefuturehere:

Your vision statements may change over time just as values maychange, so youwillwant to reassess your statement at least annually.Modifyyourstatementtobeconsistentwithanychangesinyourhealth,learning,orthinking.

WhatIsMyMissionStatement?

Vision iswhere you are going;mission is howyouwill get there.Yourmission statement weaves together your vision statement and yourvalues. It specifically addresses how youwill achieve your vision andbecome the person you see in your snapshot of future health. As youbegin to create your mission statement, have your vision and valuesstatementswithyou.Refer to the contents of your vision statement tohelp you sketch out your mission statement. Creating your missionstatement fills in the details of how you will achieve your vision. Inmany ways, your mission statement is really just a merging of yourvalueswithyourvision.Toprovideanexample,herearemynutritionalvalues,vision,andmissionstatement(VVMS):

Values:

(1)Ilikechocolate,broccoli,andgreens.

(2)Ivaluehighenergy,specificallytheabilitytoparticipateinatleastonehourofaerobicactivityaday,beingalertandmentallyaware,shinyhair,andahealthyglowtomyskin(butnotfromsunexposure).

(3)MyreconciliationofmytwonutritionalvaluesstatementsisthatIwilleatthefoodsIlikeregularly,butinmoderation.Inaddition,Iwilleatorganic,rawsourcesofproteindailyandtakeanysupplementsthatmybodyneeds.RightnowthesearevitaminsD,E,andaBvitamincomplex.

Vision:

I will continue to be physically fit and healthy in a way that issustainable.Iwillcontinuetobementallyhealthythroughmindfulnessandawarenessofmydecisionsandactions.

Snapshot:

I am running around the reservoir in Central Parkwithmy grandson,whoisonhishighschoolbaseballteam,andmygranddaughter,whoisonherhighschooltrackteam(Ihavenograndchildrenyet,bytheway).

Mission(MergeValuesandVision):

I will continue to be physically fit and healthy in a way that issustainable.Iwillcontinuetobementallyhealthybybeingmindfulandawareofmydecisionsandactions.Iwillaccomplishthisbyeatingthefoods I like, but in moderation. In addition, I will eat organic, rawsourcesofproteindailyandtakeanysupplementsthatmybodyneeds.RightnowthesearevitaminBs,E,andD.

Inthespacebelow,writeyourcompletenutritionalVVMSstatement:

Values:

Vision:

Snapshot:

Mission(MergeValuesandVision):

Congratulations! You have created your nutritional VVMS, atremendous achievement andagoodplace to start!Hopefully you canusethesebasicstepstohelpyouassessnotonlytheinformationinthisbookconcerningtherawfoodlifestyle,butalsootherdietandnutritionresources. You need to know yourself and know what works for youbefore you can determine whether to make a change in your diet orlifestyle.Goodluck!

CHAPTER3

RawLeaders

Aswith any revolution, the raw foodmovement has its leaders. Iused three criteria toqualify an individual as a raw food leader. First,the individual had contributed something unique to the raw foodphilosophy. Second, the individual had tomake a contribution to rawfood philosophy through writings. And, third, the individual mustcontinue to have an influence on the raw food movement that issustained either by teaching, training, or pedagogy. Although Dr.NormanWalkerstartedhisrawfooddietjourneyinFrance,manyclaimthat hewas the first to bring themovement to theUnited States. Forhistoricalandcredibilitypurposes,IhavealsoincludedtheEssenesandEuropean physicians who created separate but related practices for alivingfoodlifestyle.

TheEssenes

UNIQUEIMPACT:

Firstreligioussect(secondcenturyBC)todescribe,embrace,andpracticetheimportanceoffastingandeatingrawfoodsforhealth

WRITING: TheDeadSeaScrolls

TodaytheEsseneChurchofChristisledbyNazariah(inElmira,Oregon),andthe

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY: ministersfollowthesametraditionsasthereligioussectofthesecondcenturyBC.

TheEsseneswereoneofthreeJudaicreligiousgroupsthatprosperedontheshoresoftheDeadSeaatthetimeofChrist.TheDeadSeaScrolls,whichmostscholarsbelievewereauthoredbytheEssenes,containtextabout the use of fasting and raw foods to attain the highest levels ofmental,physical,andspiritualhealth.1Essenepractitionersbelievethatall sickness results fromdisharmony.Theyhave aholistic approach tohealthcare.TheEssene,orbiogenic,dietisabout40percentfreshfruit,30percentrawvegetables,and30percentgrains,driedfruits,seeds,andnuts.

Dr.MaxBircher-Benner

UNIQUEIMPACT:

Bornin1867inSwitzerland,Dr.Bircher-Bennerwasthefirstphysiciantoidentifythebenefitsofarawdiet,practicethediet,prescribeitforpatients,andpublishwidelyonit.

WRITING:

Children’sDiet;PreventionofIncurableDisease;Dr.Bircher-Benner’sWaytoPositiveHealthandVitality;FruitDishesandRawVegetables;FoodScienceforAllandANewSunlightTheoryofNutrition:LecturestoTeachersofDomesticEconomy;PreventionofDiseasebyCorrectFeeding

Bircher-Bennertaughtpatientsandtreated

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:themholistically,spokeinternationally,andwroteuntilhisdeathin1939.Dr.Bircher-Benner’sZurich-basedclinicstilltreatspatientstoday.

Dr.Bircher-Bennertreatedfirsthimselfandthenseveralpatientswithraw,pressedfruitstocuredigestivedisorders.Hewasoneofthefirsttoseeandwriteabout theconnectionbetweendiseaseandadiethigh incookedandprocessedfoods.Hewaslikelythefirstphysicianproponentofdiseasepreventionandholisticmedicine.

Dr.MaxGerson

UNIQUEIMPACT:Germanphysicianwhocuredcancerandchronicdiseasesusingarawfooddietinthefirsthalfofthetwentiethcentury.

WRITING:

ACancerTherapy:ResultsofFiftyCasesandtheCureofAdvancedCancer;GersonTherapyHandbook;TheGersonPrimer:AnAdjuncttoACancerTherapy;andTheCureofAdvancedCancerbyDietTherapy:ASummaryof30YearsofClinicalExperimentation

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:

Dr.Gerson’sbookCancerTherapyisstillusedbyholisticphysicianstoday.Hisdaughtercontinueshisphilosophyandtherapiesbycontinuingtoupdatethemwithmodernmedicine,writeaboutthem,andpublishthem.

Dr.MaxGersonwasanotherphysicianwhosuccessfullyusedrawfoodpractices on himself to cure debilitatingmigraine headaches. He laterused the practice on patientswithmigraine headaches and found thatreplacing a cooked diet with raw, living foods helped almost everyconditionhispatientshad,includingcancer,lupus,andtuberculosis.Dr.Gerson wrote, “The secret of my treatment is that the nutritionalproblemisnotwellenoughunderstood,”andhefoundthatsickbodiesthatcouldnothandlecookedfoodthrivedonraw,livingfoods.2

Dr.NormanW.Walker—TheJuiceMan(1886–1985)

UNIQUEIMPACT: Juicing

WRITING:TheNaturalWaytoVibrantHealth;BecomeYounger;ColonHealth;FreshVegetableandFruitJuices;andWaterCanUndermineYourHealth

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:

Hisbooksarestillwidelyread,juicingisanimportantpartoftherawfoodlifestyle,andtheNorwalkJuicerisstillsoldtwenty-fiveyearsafterhisdeath.

Dr. Walker cured himself of mental and physiological problemsthrough juicing and then used juicing as the nutritional basis of histheory of a raw food lifestyle. He used a natural, nutrition-basedapproachtomedicine.Manyofhisexperiments,verywelldocumented,wereperformedonhimself.Hebelievedthatanatomyshouldbetaughtin every elementary and secondary school. He felt strongly that weshouldallunderstandourbodies,theparts,whattheydo,andhowtheyinteractwitheachother.Hewasprobablyoneofthefirstindividualstotout the dangers of processedwhite flour. Chapter 14 of his bookTheNaturalWaytoVibrantHealth(1972)isentitled“DestructiveFood.”Hedescribes devitalized white flour products—white bread, crackers,donuts, and cakes—as being highly harmful to health. He also talked

about the dangers of eating cane sugar and refined sugar, but hesupportedeatingrawhoney.

AnnWigmore—TheWheatgrassQueen(1909–1994)

UNIQUEIMPACT: Wheatgrassjuicing;sprouting

WRITING:

TheWheatgrassBook;BeYourOwnDoctor;TheHippocratesDietandHealthProgram;andOvercomingAIDSandOther“IncurableDiseases”theAttunitiveWay

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:TheHippocratesHealthInstituteandtwoAnnWigmoreInstitutesarestilltrainingpeopleyearsafterherdeath.

AnnWigmore’sphilosophyisasimplebutpowerfulone.Makelivingwheatgrass juice and living sprouts the primary part of your diet, andyouwilllivealongandhealthylife.Sheusedthediettocureherselfofmetastatic coloncancer.Dr.Wigmoreandher instituteshaveprobablytreated more patients with late-stage cancer than any other holisticorganizationaroundtheglobe.Specificdataregardingcureratesarenotavailablefromanyoftheinstitutes.Buttheycontinuetoseepatientsinlarge numbers and anecdotal evidence seems to be quite positive. Inaddition to food, Wigmore also stressed the importance of sun, purewater, clean air, good posture, regular exercise, relaxation, sufficientsleep, massage, acupuncture, meditation, solitude, building a cleanenvironment, and having pets. In her book Be Your Own Doctor, shedescribes each of these basic concepts as being essential to overallhealth.

ViktorasKulvinskas—TheNaturalHealthPioneer

UNIQUEIMPACT: CofoundedHippocratesHealthInstitutewithAnnWigmore

WRITING:Survivalintothe21stCentury;TheLover’sDiet;andLoveYourBody

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:Kulvinskascontinuestolectureandcontributetojournals.

Kulvinskas’ primary claim to fame is being the key disciple of AnnWigmore.Hecarriedonherworkat theHippocratesHealth Institutes,firstwithher,andthenafterherdeathinafireinthe1990s.HisbookLife in the 21st Century is similar to a journal that addresses everypossible topic from raw food practices in different parts of the globe.Chapters include “The Yoga of Survival in South America,” “TheFruitarianExperienceinCentralAmerica,”and“Man-MadeDangersandtheNeedforScientificResearchonRawFood.”

Dr.HerbertShelton—TheHygienicPhysicianandFruitarian(1895–1985)

UNIQUEIMPACT:Firstmedicalprofessionaltoembracerawfoodandfastingasacurefordiseaseandanecessarycomponentforahealthylife

WRITING:

HistoryofNaturalHygieneandPrinciplesofNaturalHygiene;GettingWell;GluttonyIsaNeurosis;SuperiorNutrition;FoodCombiningMadeEasy;FastingCanSaveYourLife;ScienceandFineArtofFoodandNutrition;FoodandFeeding;TheMythofMedicine;amongothers

MorethanonehundredofDr.Shelton’sbooks

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:

arestillinprinttodayonvarioustopics.HeheadedDr.Shelton’sHealthSchoolinTexasfromthemid-1900sthroughhisdeathin1985.Manycurrentrawfoodistsandmedicalprofessionalsstudiedunderhim,includingDr.JoelFuhrmanandVictoriaBidwell.

Dr. Shelton was a true revolutionary and considered to be on thefringemost of his professional life.His influence today is grounded inthesubcultureofhygienicphysicians,whopromotehealththroughdiet,exercise, fresh air, and bathing. In addition, Shelton andmany of hisfollowerseatonlyormainly fruitsandareconsideredtobe fruitarians.Degree-andcertificategrantingorganizationsforhygienicmedicinehavesprung up recently and are a common topic inVibrance, an electronicmagazinedevotedtorawfoods.Dr.Sheltonwastrulyaheadofhistimewhen, in 1917, he was asked to define health and he replied, “Anydefinitionofhealth that regards the individual as an isolatedunit andfails to consider his function in nature must fall short of a completedefinition.” He further states, with a ring similar to that of Easternphilosophyandquantumtheory,that“Healthisastateofwholeness…itdoesnotmatterhowgoodonefeelstoday,ifhisrelationsandconductarenotwhattheyshouldbe,hewillnotfeelsogoodtomorrow.”3

RebbeGabrielCousens,MD,MD(H),DD—TheSpiritualLeader

UNIQUEIMPACT:Focusonnutritionanditsrelationtospiritualityandpeacefulness

WRITING:

ConsciousEating;SpiritualNutrition;RainbowGreenLive-FoodCuisine;ThereIsaCureforDiabetes:TheTreeofLife21-Day+Program;Depression-freeforLife;andCreatingPeaceby

BeingPeace

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:HeestablishedtheTreeofLifeRejuvenationCenter,runsnumerousworkshops,andspeaksaroundtheglobe.

Dr.Cousenshasoneof themost traditionaleducationalbackgroundsoftherawandlivingfoodmovementleaders.Hewasacollegeall-starfootballplayerandthenwenttotraditionalmedicalschool.Hebecameinterested in holistic medicine, which led him to spirituality. Dr.Cousens’ philosophies extend beyond the nutritional component of thelifestyle,buttheyallleadbacktofood.Forexample,athisTreeofLiferetreatinPatagonia,Arizona,heandhisguestspracticemeditationandother spiritual rituals. You will find that certain foods like garlic andonions are not used in any of the raw food preparation at the retreatbecausethesetypesoffoodscaninterferewithmeditation.Dr.Cousenshasworkedwiththefederalgovernmentonpeaceinitiatives,andhehaslectured around the world on his principles. Most importantly, Dr.CousenspracticestheprinciplesthatheteachesathisretreatinArizona.Dr.Cousens’mostrecentcontributiontotherawfoodmovementandtomedicalresearchishisbookThereIsaCureforDiabetes.Inthebook,hehas demonstrated the ability to reduce or eliminate diabetic patients’dependence on insulin through the use of fasting, juicing, and a verystrictrawfooddietthathecallsaPhase1Diet.Thedietisdescribedindetail in Cousens’ book. Because the diet is designed to work forindividualswithdiabetes,anyfoodswithsugarorahighglycemicindexarenotincludedonthisdiet.

Dr.JoelFuhrman—TheFastingExpert

UNIQUEIMPACT:Bringingmedicallysupervisedfastingintothemainstream

WRITING:FastingandEatingforHealth;EattoLive;andDisease-proofYourChild:FeedingKidsRight

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:Fuhrmancoordinatesannualhealthgetawayswiththepublicandwritesane-newsletter.

Dr.Fuhrmanisamainstreamphysicianwhobenefitedpersonallyfromlengthy fasting. He now puts this same concept into practice for hispatientsthroughbooksandhismedicalpractice.Dr.FuhrmanspeaksallaroundthecountryandreachesmanypeoplethroughhisWebsiteandhisnewsletter.Hehasa thrivingmedicalpractice,andhecontinues totreat patients using fasting and other natural techniques, therebycontributing to the scientific data available on these methods. Dr.Fuhrmanisastrongproponentofrawfoods,buthedoesnotrequireastrict100percentcomplianceto thedietbecausehedoesnot followithimself.

DavidWolfe—TheCharismaticEntrepreneur

UNIQUEIMPACT:Standardsetterforidentificationofrawsuperfoodsandhigh-qualityrawfoodresources

WRITING:

TheSunfoodDietSuccessSystem;EatingforBeauty;NakedChocolate;AmazingGrace;andSuperfoods:TheFoodandMedicinefortheFuture.

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:Wolfehostsretreatsthroughouttheyearwiththepublicandisaguestlecturerformanyrawfoodevents.

David is thegeniusbehind thesunfood.comrawfoodsite—probablythelargestonlinerawfoodstoreintheworld.Hehasconsistentlyusedhis negotiation skills, obviously honedwhile hewas in law school, tobrokerdeals for therarestorganicrawfooddeals.He issaidtobethe

onlyrawfoodsuppliertohavetrulyrawcashews,certainspices,andthebest raw cacao.Regardless of the truth about these claims, he spreadsthewordabout thevalueof rawfood toasmanypeopleaspossible. Irecentlyheardhimspeak toacaptivatedaudienceofmore than1,200peopleforalmostthreehoursstraight.Andifnotstoppedbecauseoftheschedule,heprobablycouldhavecontinuedforanotherthreehours.AnotheroneofWolfe’scontributionstotherawfoodphilosophyisthe

creationofadditionalevidencethatrawfoodshavehigherenergythancooked foods.He demonstrates this in his talks and also in his books.Wolfe relies on the work of Semyon Kirlian. In the 1940s, Kirliandevelopedamachinethatphotographedtheelectrodynamicfield,whichshows the energy levels of anyone or anything that it photographs.Wolfeusedthesetechniquestophotographcookedandrawvegetables,andheshowsthestrikingdifferencesbetweenthetwoinhislecturesandhis books. The photographs of raw vegetables aremuchmore radiant,bright,andcolorful than thoseof theircookedcounterparts.Wolfehasalso photographed hands of raw and living food eaters and comparedthemwithhandsof standardAmericandieteaters.The rawand livingfoodeaters’handsweremuchbrighterthanthoseoftheSADeaters.Wolfe spends a lot of time in his talks and his books describing his

own personal treks into the desert, the rain forest, or other naturalhabitats,sometimesforseveralweeksormonthsatatime.Youmaybeapt to think the stories are all about him and his travels andaccomplishments.Butlistencloselyandyou’llrealize,basedonhiszealto sell you on nature, that it is not about him at all. He wants hisreaders’orhislisteners’intereststobesopiquedthateveryonegetsthesameadvantagesfromnaturethathehasobtained.And,ofcourse,atalkwithDavidWolfewouldn’t be the samewithout hismantra—Have thebestdayever!

VictoriaBoutenko—TheMomofRawFood

UNIQUEIMPACT:Expandingtherawfooddiettotheentirefamily

WRITING:GreenforLife;12StepstoRawFoods;RawFamily;GreenSmoothieRevolution:andRawFamilySignatureDishes.

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:Shehastaughtatseveralcollegesanduniversitiesandconductsmanyworkshopsandretreats.

VictoriaBoutenkoisateacherandamother.Everymotherorparentcan benefit from Boutenko’s own experiences, detailed in her books,abouther family’s plight andeventual successwithnutritionanddiet.Shedidnotstopattellingthestories.Shecontinuestoteachandrefineher raw food preparationmethodologies and share themwith anyonewhoisinterested.Victoriaandherfamilywerethe“model”immigrantsfrom Russia who entered the United States perfectly healthy, gorgedthemselvesonthetypicalSAD,becamechronicallyill,andfoundhealthinarawandlivingfoodlifestyle.Inherbooksyoucanreadthedetailsaboutherfamilymembers’healthissuesandchallengesintransitioningtoarawfooddiet.Eachmemberdidmakethetransitionandeachwascuredofhisorherailmentswithoutfurthermedicalintervention.

BrianClement,NMD,PhD,LN—ThePurist

UNIQUEIMPACT:BringingHippocratesconceptsintothetwenty-firstcentury

WRITING:

HippocratesHealthProgram:AProvenGuidetoHealthfulLiving;Belief:AllThereIs;Children:TheUltimateCreation;Exercise:CreatingYourPersona;LifeForce;Longevity:EnjoyingLongLife;andSpiritualityinHealingandLife

ClementteachesattheHippocratesHealth

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY: Instituteweeklythroughouttheyear.

Clementhasnotstrayedfromthepurelivingfooddiet.Hehasfocusedonincludinglivingfoodsinhisdietandhasmarginalizedfoodslikerawsweeteners,nuts,andseeds.Hippocratesisoftenthelast-resortsolutionfor cancer patientswhohavebeen told they are terminal andpatientswith other chronic disorders. And although statistics have never beenpublished, anecdotal information from both patients and doctors aliketoutthewondersoftheinstitute.Likeanygoodscientist,Clementknowsthat if you change one ingredient in themixture, youmay negativelyimpact the outcome. And if your outcome is getting good, positiveresultsastheHippocratesHealthInstituteseemstohavebeengettingforthepastfiftyyears,whymesswithagoodthing?

SarmaMelngailis

UNIQUEIMPACT:BringingrawfoodtomainstreamAmericathroughfinedining

WRITING: RawFood/RealWorld

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:SarmawritestheOneLuckyDuck.comblogandnewsletters.

My husband, Joe, and I have taken many friends and relatives toSarma’sPureFoodandWinerestaurant.Theyareconsistentlypleasantlysurprised by the atmosphere. They are also caught off guard by theamazing food—itspresentationand its taste.Wehavehadmeat-eatingfriendsfeastononeofSarma’sportobellomushroomentréesandswearitwasasgoodasasteakdinner.Althoughtherestaurantservesonlyrawvegan food,Sarma is the first toadmit thatmostpeoplewho frequenttherestaurantarenotrawfoodistsorvegans.ItisrumoredthatmostoftheCEOsofFortune500companieshavedinedatPureFoodandWine.Sarma’s contributions in moving raw and living food into the

mainstream are greater than they may appear. Minimally, tens ofthousandsof peoplewhomayneverhaveknownwhat thephrase rawfoodmeantbeforevisitingSarma’splacecannowspreadthewordwithpositiveaccolades.Andwhat’sevenbetter—sheshares itbypublishingallofherrecipesinherbooksoronherWebsite.

MatthewandTercesEngelhart

UNIQUEIMPACT:Thefirstsuccessfulchainofrawfoodcafés:CaféGratitude

WRITING: IAmGratefulandSacredCommerce

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:TheEngelhartshostseminars,retreats,andcookingclasses.

Matthew and Terces Engelhart have done for raw restaurants whatDavidWolfe has done for raw food supply with a lot of love and, ofcourse,gratitude.Thefoodiscreativeandtasty,butnottoooverstated.Andintruerawfoodphilosophystyle,theEngelhartssharetheirrecipesforall ofus toat least try to reproduce.Theyarewilling to share thesecrettotheirabilitytoreproducerawfoodsuccessfullyenoughtoopencafé after café. Their actions should make anyone even remotelyinterestedinthelivingfoodlifestylegratefulfortheEngelhartsandtheircontributions.

DavidKlein—ThePublisher

UNIQUEIMPACT:Firstsuccessfulmagazinededicatedtorawfoods

WRITING:

SelfHealingColitisandCrohn’s;SelfHealingPower!HowtoTapintotheGreatPowerwithinYou;TheFruitsofHealing;TheSevenEssentials

forOvercomingIllnessandCreatingEverlastingWellness;andYourNaturalDiet:AliveRawFoods

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:KleinteachesworkshopsandseminarsandcontinuestopublishandcontributetoVibrancee-zine.

Dr. Klein’s decision to publish a legitimate raw and living foodmagazine was gutsy indeed. Published two or three times a year, themagazine boasts regular columns like “Ask the Nutritionists” and“Apples & Oranges, Peas & Carrots,” and “Raw Recipes” by notablecontributors. Leaders like Gabriel Cousens and Dr. T. Colin Campbellhave been interviewed for the magazine. The magazine adheres to astrictphilosophythatembraces the importanceof fruitovervegetablesand de-emphasizes sweeteners. Themagazine has a strong living foodsslanttoit.It isagreatresourceforongoinginformationabouttherawandlivingfoodcommunity.

CherieSoria—TrainerofChefsoftheFuture

UNIQUEIMPACT:Directstheonlyorganizationdedicatedtotrainingrawfoodchefs

WRITING:AngelFoods:HealthyRecipesforHeavenlyBodiesandTheRawFoodRevolutionDiet:Feast,LoseWeight,GainEnergy,FeelYounger!

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:SoriaestablishedLivingLightCulinaryArtsInstitute.

Cheriehastrainedmanyofthetoprawandlivingfoodchefs,whichiswhy people often refer to her as the mother of raw gourmet cuisine.

CheriestudiedwithDr.AnnWigmoreandlearnedtheprinciplesofusingwhole, live foods to aid in healing and rejuvenation. Inspired andmotivated, she went on to develop gourmet raw culinary arts bycombiningthetwocontrastingworldsofgourmetvegetariancuisineandrawvegansimplicitythatisknowntodayinternationallyasgourmetrawvegancuisine.Cheriesays,“Iexperiencegreatjoyconnectingpersonallywithstudentsandhelping themtobecomethebest that theycanbe—notonlyasrawfoodchefs,butasradiant,inspiringteachers.Thekeyistoacceptpeoplewheretheyareontheirpathandtohelpfuelthelightthatshineswithinthem!”

BobDagger—TheRadioMan

UNIQUEIMPACT:Firstrawfoodgrocerystore;firstrawfoodweeklyradioshow

WRITING: HighVibenewsletter

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:

Daggerhasweeklyradioshows,weeklyclassesattheHighVibestoreinNewYorkCity,andindividualcoachingsessions.Inadditiontoblogging,BobwritesformanymagazinesinJapanandEurope.

In the early 1990s, in New York City’s East Village, Bob Daggeropenedthecity’sfirstall-rawveganfoodandsupplystore.Thestoreisstill going strong today and now includes an online business.He doesradioshowsandpodcastsonaweeklybasis,duringwhichheaddressesmany different raw food lifestyle topics from rebounding to cleansing.Hewasapioneerintherawfoodsupplybusiness.

NataliaRose—TheRawFoodRealist

UNIQUEIMPACT: BringingtherawfoodlifestyleintomainstreamAmerica

WRITING:TheRawFoodDetoxDiet;RawFoodLifeForceEnergy;andTheNewEnergyBody

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY: Roseteaches,coaches,andblogs.

Rose is a raw food realist because she decided, based on her ownexperience and her interviews with many nutrition clients, that thetypicalAmericanwouldnotembraceapurerawfooddiet.SoRosehasworkedalistoffoodsintoherrecommendedtransitiondietsforpeoplewhowanttobecomefamiliarwiththerawfooddietinawaythatwillallowforsustainability.FoodsthatRoseincludesinherrawdiet,whichshedetailsinTheRawFoodDetoxDiet,includemaplesyrup,eggs,wholegrainbreadproducts,rawgoatcheese,chocolate(notraw),fish,organicmeats, andorganicbutter and cream.Keep inmind that these arenotfoodsthatyouwillfindonthetypicalrawfooddiet.ButRose’sfocusison making the raw transition a reality for as many Americans aspossible.

DavidJubb

UNIQUEIMPACT:Broughtthescienceofnutritiontorawfoodrecipes

WRITING:Jubb’sCellRejuvenation;LifeFoodRecipeBook;andSecretsofanAlkalineBody

TEACHING/PEDAGOGY:Hecontinuestomanagehisrawfoodcafé,Jubb’sLongevity,andcookingclassesinhisEastVillagelocationinNewYorkCity.

David Jubb is a PhD neurophysiologist from NYU. He has fused

biologyandphysicswith the living food lifestyle.Someof the theoriesthat he pioneered or refined are used throughout the living foodscommunity.These include the theoriesof cell rejuvenation, the impactof crystalline water structure, and vibration. Dr. Jubb’s protocols forfastingandcleansingarequiterigorous,butproven.HisbookJubb’sCellRejuvenationisnotaneasyread,butitdoesshowthathepracticeswhathepreaches.Ultimately,Dr.Jubbhasbroughtcredibilitytotherawfoodmovementthroughhisscientificapproach.

CHAPTER4

RawFoodTheory

Atheoryisasystemofideasorstatementsexplainingsomething.1Rawandlivingfoodtheoryclaimsthatuncookedfoodproducesgreaterhealthbenefitsthancookedfood.Basedonitshistory, leaders,andthecurrent documented practices, the following six concepts appear to betheprinciplesoftherawfoodorlivingnutritiontheory:(1)Eatfoodthatis alive with its enzymes still intact. (2) Eat food that is fresh andorganic. (3) Eat vegan food, no animal products. (4) You reflect thevibration,orenergylevel,ofwhatyoueat.(5)Juicesomepercentageofyour fruits and vegetables regularly. (6) Follow food-combining rules.Detailsofeachconceptareaddressedindetaillaterinthechapter.Atheoryismeanttobetestedtoproveordisproveitsvalidity.Many

of the individual leadersdiscussed inChapterThreeengaged in testingrawfoodtheoriesonthemselveswithsuccess.PhysiciansBircher-BennerandGerson treated theirpatientsusing raw foodprincipleswithmuchdocumentedsuccess.Atheoryneedstobetestedusingrigorousscientifictesting methods with positive, consistent outcomes time after time.Although there is abundant and reliable case study data available,clinical trials and other similar scientific studies have not yet beenconductedtotesttherawfoodtheory.Thegoodnews(forsupportersofrawfoodtheory)isthattheredoesnotappeartobeanysolidevidencedisprovingthebenefitsofthetheory.Whilewewaitforstudiestobeconductedatsomepointinthefuture,

wecanread,analyze,andpossiblyeventryoutsomeoftheprinciplesofthe raw food theory in our own lives. I overheard a conversationrecentlyaboutrawfood.Amanwasdescribingtherawfooddiettohis

companion.Hisexplanationcontainedmanyof thesixprinciples listedbelow.Hisfriendresponded,“Itsoundslikejustanotherdietfadtome.”Theman(whowasnotarawfoodist)responded,“Maybe,butwhenyouthinkabout it, howcan something that is fresh, organic, andgood foryoubeafad?”

TheSixPrinciplesoftheRawFoodDietaryTheory

1.EatFoodThatIsAlivewithItsEnzymesStillIntact

Rawor living foodsarebelieved tobe thebest foryourbodybecausethey still contain their natural enzymes, which are destroyed in thecookingprocess.Foodwithintactenzymesarehypothesizedtobemuchless of a burden on the digestive system than foodswithout enzymes.Eating cooked foods requires our body to go into significant enzyme-productionmode,usinga lotmoreenergy todigest.Food that isalivecanbeoneoftwovarietiesunderthistheory.First,likefreshfruitsandvegetables,itcanberaworuncooked.Second,foodcanbedehydrateduptoa temperatureofabout112°F. Iuse thewordaboutherebecausethereissomedisagreementinthecommunityastotheexactmaximumtemperatureatwhich living foodenzymesremain intact.Somesay thetemperaturecannotbehigherthan110°Fwhileothersclaim120°Fisthemaximum.Clearlyhereisanarearipeforscientifictesting.Let’s look first at the claims about the values of enzymes and thenexplorethedehydrationprocessmore.MostofthepublishedinformationonenzymebenefitstothehumandigestivesystemintheformofarawfooddietcomesfromDr.AnnWigmore(TheHippocratesDietandHealthProgram),Dr.EdwardHowell(EnzymeNutrition:UnlockingtheSecretsofEatingRight forHealth,Vitality and Longevity), andDr.Gabriel Cousens(ConsciousEating).Infact,intheirbooks,mostoftheseauthorsreferencethesamestudiesandinsomecasesevenreferenceeachother.Therearethreeconceptsthatreappearintheliteratureaboutenzymesinfoodandtheirimpactonnutrition.First is the necessity for enzymes in breaking down food. Vitaminswerefirstidentifiedasimportantnutrientsinthemid-1930s.Sometimeafterthat,theimportanceofmineralswasidentified.Todaywecontinue

to be bombarded by the nutrition megaindustry with a multitude ofvitamin and mineral supplements, pills, powders, drinks, and evenindividual elements like vitamin C or riboflavin added to our foods.Enzymes and their importance took a little longer to catch on in thenutrition megaindustry. In his book Enzyme Nutrition, Dr. Howellprovidesawonderfulanalogyforourbody’snutritionalcycle.Hestates,“Inordertobuildaproductafactoryneedsmaterialsofvariouskinds,suchassteel,brass,plastics,andsoon.Butthesewouldnotbeabletorealize final formwithout theworker.And foremenarealsoneeded todirect the workers. In the living body, protein, fat, carbohydrate,vitamins,andmineralsarethematerialstoworkwith.Theenzymesaretheworkers,andthehormonesareforemen.”2

Second is thepresenceofenzymes in foods thatarenotcooked thataidthebodyinitsdigestion.InConsciousEating,GabrielCousensstatesthateatingrawfoodsisthenumber-oneactivitythatpreservesenzymesandmaximizeshealth.3Healsotalksaboutthefactthathumansaretheonly living things thateatcooked foods.Further,heprovidesevidencethatwhenanimalsarefedcookedfoods,theyalsobegintosufferfromchronicdegenerativediseases,similartothosecommontohumans.Dr.Howelldescribesaprocesscalledpredigestion,orhowenzymesinrawfoodsactuallydigesttheirowningredients.Forexample,abananaisabout20percentstarchwhenitisgreen.Theenzymeamylaseconvertsthe banana into 20 percent sugar when the fruit is in warmtemperatures. About a fourth of this sugar is glucose, and it does notrequirefurtherdigestionbythehumanbody.Thenaturalconclusionisthat themore raw foodsweeat that contain theirown livingenzymescapableofpredigestion,thelessstrainonus,andthisgivesourdigestivesystemsabreak.Thisinactivetimeallowsthebodytotendtoimportantthings like stayinghealthy, insteadof trying to figureouthow to takeapartanddetoxifyitselfofcookedandprocessedfoods.Third is the presence of enzyme inhibitors in certain foods that canactually interfere with your body’s own enzymes. According to Dr.EdwardHowellandothers,enzyme inhibitorsarepresent in seedsandnutsgrown in trees likepecans,walnuts,Brazilnuts,and filberts.Rawseedsandtree-basednutsdonotbringthepositivepredigestionquality(described above) with them, and they can actually interfere with our

body’sownenzymeproduction.Herein liespossiblyoneof thebiggestwarnings about problems with a raw food diet. However, there is asolution. Both Howell and Wigmore talk about the fact that enzymeinhibitors inseedsandnutscanbechangedfromharmful inhibitors tohelpful enzymes by germinating them, more commonly known assprouting. Sprouting involves soaking seeds, nuts, or beans for severalhoursuntilthefoodbeginstodevelopalittletail-likeprotrusionononeend. The sprouting of seeds neutralizes or inactivates the enzymeinhibitors.Thegoodenzymeactivityisatitsheightwhenthetailorthesprout is approximately one-quarter inch long.4 Again,most raw foodexperts recommend that only 10 to 20 percent of your intake shouldcomefromrawseedsandnuts.Dehydratingfoodsatamaximumtemperatureofsomewherebetween

100°Fand120°Fisthelastpartoftheprincipleofeatingfoodsthatarenotcooked,withenzymesstillintact.Unlessyourovenwillallowyoutoprogram it to this low level (most don’t), youwill need to purchase adehydrator for the purpose of dehydrating raw foods.Whywould youwant to do this? There are many raw foodists who do not usedehydrators at all. They exist on raw fruits and vegetables and a verysmall proportion of nuts and seeds. But, most of us would becomequicklyboredwithsuchadiet.Sotheprimaryreasontodehydratefoodistoaddvarietyandinteresttorawfoods.Thishelpstoavoidboredomandincreasecompliancetothelifestyle.Asecondreasonfordehydratingrawfoodsistoincreasethelifespanofthefood.Oncemostrawfoodsareprepared,theyshouldbeeatenwithinadayortwotoensureyougetthe highest nutrient value. However, dehydrated foods, depending onwhat they are and who you ask, can last for weeks or months. Forexample,bothdehydratedfruitandrawdehydratedcrackersmadefromseedscanbestoredforseveralweeksandretaintheirfreshness.Youcanfinddetailsonhowtodehydratefoodsinmanyofthewell-

known raw food preparation books that are listed in Appendix One.However, I would like to share a few anecdotes with you about thedehydrationprocesstohelpyougetasenseforhowthisallworks.First,depending on what you are dehydrating, the process can take up tothirty-sixhours.Thisisparticularlytruewhenyouaredehydratingnutsand seeds tomake bread or breadlike foods. Theminimumamount of

timefordehydratingalmostanyfoodisusuallyfiveorsixhours.Soyouneedtoplanaccordinglyforthisactivity.Second, there isno ideal amountof time formostdehydrated foods.This is a particularly difficult concept to get used to when you havepreviouslyexistedinaworldofsettingyourmicrowavefortwominutesandtwentysecondsaccordingtotheexplicitdirectionsonthepackage.Most raw food preparation directions will state something like“Dehydrateat110°Fforaboutsixhours,flipoveranddehydrateontheother side for about another six hours.” I was quite irritated by thisprocess for about a year, until I visited Gabriel Cousens’ Tree of Liferetreatforrawfoodpreparationcourses.Theinstructorswereclearfromthestartthatitisimportanttobeonewithyourfood(aconceptnewtome), to taste it during the prep process, andmost importantly, not tofreakoutifyoumakeamistakeorareoutofaningredient.There,theytaughtustobecreativeusingcertainrulesoffood-combiningprinciples(describedinprinciple6laterinthischapter).Butmostimportantly,weneededtofeelgoodaboutourfoodpreparationbecausethevibrationweembodiedduring foodpreparationwouldbepassed into the food.Thisconcept of vibration is discussed in principle 4 in this chapter. Sincevisiting theTreeofLife, I checkmydehydrated foodsmore frequentlyandknowthatitisnotaproblemifIpullthefoodoutalittleearlyorleaveitinthedehydratorabitlonger.Third, food that contains toomuchmoisture can fermentduring thedehydration process. Fermentation produces friendly bacteria that yourbody needs tomake your digestive systemmore efficient and healthy.However,youmaynot like the taste.Sometimes,dehydratingwith toomuch moisture in the food at too low of a temperature can causeunfriendly bacteria and evenmold to form. The Tree of Life teachersaddressedthisduringourclassesbyrecommendingthat,duringthefirsthourofdehydrating,youturnthetemperatureuptoabout140°F.Intheworldof raw food, this seemed like anultrarevolutionary idea.140°F?Wouldn’twebekilling theenzymes?The response I receivedwas thatno, the focus would be on absorbing the liquid, not overcooking thefood.Irecommendthatyourefertotheappendicesformoreresourceson raw food preparation and dehydration if you have an interest inexploringthisfurther.

2.EatFreshandOrganic

Whenyoureadthistitle,youmayhavethought,“Ofcourse!”Butinourhurried society, it is not onlydifficult to remember andpractice theseprinciples, it may be difficult to find foods that fit the bill. Let’s talkaboutorganicfirst,andthenaboutfresh.Therearesomegrocerystores,likeWholeFoods, thatpride themselvesondeliveringorganicproduceand otherwhole foods to their customers.5 Even in a store likeWholeFoods,youneedtoreadthesignsbecausenotallproduceisorganic.Allproduce is labeled, or should be clearly labeled in every store, asconventional or organic. In the United States, the National OrganicProgram (NOP) is the federal agencygoverningorganic food. In1990,the Organic Foods Production Act was passed. The National OrganicProgram, fully implemented in October 2002, is administered by theDepartmentofAgriculture(USDA).Organicfoodisproducedbyfarmerswhoemphasizetheuseofrenewableresourcesandtheconservationofsoilandwatertoenhanceenvironmentalqualityforfuturegenerations.Organicmeat,poultry,eggs,anddairyproductscomefromanimalsthataregivennoantibioticsorgrowthhormones.Organicfoodisproducedwithout using most conventional pesticides, without using fertilizersmade with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, and withoutbioengineeringorionizingradiation.Before a product can be labeled organic, a government-approved

certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure thefarmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organicstandards.Companiesthathandleorprocessorganicfoodbeforeitgetstoyourlocalsupermarketorrestaurantmustbecertified,too.Products labeled 100 percent organic must contain only organically

producedingredients.Productslabeledorganicmustconsistofatleast95percent organically produced ingredients. Processed products thatcontainat least70percentorganic ingredientscanusethephrasemadewithorganicingredientsandlistuptothreeoftheorganicingredientsorfoodgroupsontheprincipaldisplaypanel.Let’s talk about the term sustainable for amoment.We have started

hearingthistermusedtodescribefoodandwineinplaceslikeNewYorkCity, where certain types of organic produce are difficult to obtain,

especiallyduringthewintermonths.Thetermsustainableasitappliestofoodwas defined in 1990 by the Food,Agriculture, Conservation, andTradeAct(FACTA).Thetermsustainableagriculturemeansanintegratedsystemofplantandanimalproductionpracticesthathaveasite-specificapplicationandthatwill,overthelongterm:(1)satisfyhumanfoodandfiberneeds;(2)enhanceenvironmentalqualityandthenatural-resourcebaseuponwhichtheagriculturaleconomydepends;(3)makethemostefficient use of nonrenewable resources and on-farm resources andintegrate,whereappropriate,naturalbiologicalcyclesandcontrols;(4)sustain theeconomicviabilityof farmoperations; and (5) enhance thequality of life for farmers and society as awhole. So, sustainable is anice,warmandfuzzyconcept.However,thestandardsseemfairlyfluidandthepossibilitythatanyonewithgoodintentionsregardingtheirfoodproductioncouldbelabeledamemberofthesustainablesocietymaynotbe too far-fetched. What is most important is that you have anunderstandingofthetermsorganic,sustainable,andconventional,andyouareabletoidentifyandanalyzeyourfoodpurchasesaccordingly.Nowlet’stalkaboutfreshandwhatthetermmeanstousandforus.

Freshcanbedefinedas“retainingitsoriginalqualities;notdeterioratedor changedby lapse of time.”6Under this definition, the freshest foodwouldbefoodthatyoueatassoonasitispulledfromtheground,tree,orbushwhereitisgrowing.Soonemightimagineapersonalgardenororchardtobeamongthemostprizedpossessionsofsomeoneinsearchofthefreshest-possiblefood.Thismaynotbeanoptionforallofus,sowesettleforthenext-bestthing.Forsomeofus,thismaybebuyingorganicat the localWholeFoods store.However, therearemany farmerswhoprovide fresh, locally grown produce via farmers’ markets or evendeliveryservicestoindividualsintheircommunities.Youcanfindthesefarmers’organizationsthroughtheInternetorlocaladvertisements.Iusean organization called Door to Door Organics(www.doortodoororganics.com). They are a national organization thatconnectswith farmers in various communities to deliver fresh, locallygrownproduce toarea residents.Eachweekof theyear, I receive twolargeboxesoffresh,locallygrownfruitsandvegetablesdeliveredtomydoor. I couldn’t feelbetterabout themoney spentor the foodas I ampreparingit,sharingit,oreatingit.Somequestionsyoumightwantto

considerare:Howfreshismyfood?Howmuchofmyfoodis fresh?Ifnotverymuch,doIcareorwanttochangethis?HowcanIfindfresherfoodinmycommunity?

3.EatVeganFoods,FreeofAnimalProducts

It’sprobably importanttoacknowledgethatarawandlivingfooddietcanencompassdifferenttypesoffoods.ThedietIdescribeinthisbookthatfitsintotherawandlivingfoodlifestyleembracestheprinciplesofveganism.However,therearerawfooddietsthatincludemanyanimalproducts.Forexample,youcanreadabouteatingrawmeatorrawfishinCarolAlt’sbookEatingintheRaw.Themostwell-knownversionoftheraw fooddiet that is not vegan is the one espoused by theWestonA.PriceFoundation.Dr.Pricewasadentistintheearly1900swhostudiedthe teeth, health, and eating habits of isolated but very healthypopulations likeEskimos, Irish, Swiss, andAfricans.While thediets ofthese people varied significantly, he found they did contain severalcommonalities. Among them were: (1) they ate locally, (2) they ateliberalamountsofseafoodorotheranimalproteinsandfats,(3)theyatefats,meats,fruits,vegetables,legumes,nuts,seeds,andwholegrainsintheirwhole,unrefinedstate,and(4)allprimitivedietscontainedsomeraw food of both animal and vegetable origin. One consideration inanalyzing these findings is the purity of the animal products in theseisolatedareasduring the firstpartof the twentiethcentury.Today theWeston A. Price Foundation supports raw diets that include animalproteins and fats as well as fresh, raw vegetables, fruits, grains, andsprouts.Theyalsoarebigproponentsof rawdairyproducts, includingmeatandcheese.Enzymenutritionindairyproductsisdestroyedinthepasteurization process, so they recommend finding local farmers whocan and will sell raw dairy products. You can read more about thestudies, the philosophy, and the foundation in Sally Fallon’s bookNourishing Traditions: The Cookbook That Challenges Politically CorrectNutritionandtheDietDictocrats.7

Veganism is defined by the American Vegan Society using sixprinciplesthatspellouttheacronymAHIMSA,whichisthephilosophyofnonviolencepracticedbyMahatmaGandhi,whowasthepoliticaland

spiritual leader of India’s independence movement. The six principlesare: (1) abstinence from animal products, (2) harmlessness withreverenceforlife,(3)integrityofthought,word,anddeed,(4)masteryover oneself, (5) service to humanity, nature, and creation, and (6)advancement of understanding and truth.8 Of course, not all of theseprinciplescanbeapplieddirectlytodietandnutrition,butyoucangetabasicideaofwhatbeingaveganmeans.Thenumber-onecomponentisabstinence fromall animal products. This includes all dairy because itcomes fromcows,goats,or sheep.This isoften thedifferencebetweenindividualswhorefer to themselvesasvegetarians (manyofwhomeatdairy and/or eggs) and vegans. Vegans do not eat honey because it iscreatedbybeesusingtheirownsaliva.Theissueofhoney,however,isathorn in the side of the raw food community because raw honeyprovides somanynutrientsandenzymes.Like the rawand living foodlifestyle,veganismgoesbeyondjustfood.Tobeapracticingvegan,youdon’t wear leather goods or use any toiletries or other products (likesoap) made from animals.We discuss veganism in more detail in thechapteronethics.

4.YouReflecttheVibrationofWhatYouEat(ThankstoQuantumPhysics)

Youmaywonderwhat vibration has to dowith raw food, or for thatmatter any food. And possibly what it all has to do with quantumphysics.Well, for starters, each of us vibrates about 570 trillion timespersecond.9And,infact,everythinghasavibrationalqualitytoit.Thisvibration,orwavelikequality,isattheheartofquantumtheory,whichsuggests that all vibrations, at some level, can have an impact on allothervibrations.Let’sturntotherelevanceofvibrationtorawfood.Ihaveheardrawfoodistscommonlytalkingabouttheimportanceofthe love or the intention that goes into food preparation. In some rawfoodcafésoronsomepackagedrawfoodlabels,youmayfindoneoftheingredientslistedislove.WhenIfirstheardit,theconceptjustseemedalittle flower child-like tome, and I accepted it as such.However, as Ibegantolearnfromrawfoodexperts,Irepeatedlyheardthereferencetothevibrationalqualityoffood.ThefirsttomentionitwasNataliaRose.

ShededicatesanentirechaptertothevibrationalqualityoffoodinherRawFoodLifeForceEnergybook.Rosesaysthateverythingvibratesand,moreimportantly,thingsthatarealivehavemorerapidvibrationratesthan thingswith little orno life.Herpoint is that ifwe fill our livingbodieswith low-vibration foods,wewill slowdownourownvibrationanddistortourenergylevels.10OneofthemoststrikingstatementsRosemakesisthatanimalflesh“carrieswithitthevibrationofdeathandfearso it does not count as a harmoniously vibrating food (even if it israw).”11

Inthe1940s,SemyonandValentinaKirliandevelopedamachinethatphotographedenergypatterns.Theyusedthemachinetomakepicturesof theenergypatternof two leaves.Oneof the leaveshadadisturbedandunevenpattern.Thisleafhadcomefromadiseasedplantthatwassoontodie.Semyontookapictureofhisownhandandfoundhisenergyfieldalsoseemedtobedisturbedanduneven.Soonafter,hebecameill.TheKirlians thenmadephotographsofpersons inpoormental and/orphysical health and discovered that these photos always reflecteddisturbedandunevenpatternsintheirenergyfields.12InhisbookEatingfor Beauty, raw and living food entrepreneur David Wolfe includesseveralKirlianphotographsofvegetablesintheircookedanduncookedstates.Consistently,thephotosofuncookedvegetablesarebrighterandmore vibrant, and have significantly more light rays (representingenergy levels) emanating from the vegetable, than the cookedvegetables.Theconceptofeverything(whetherlivingornot)vibrating,orhaving

ameasurementofenergy,wasbirthedbyquantumphysicists.Wavelikepatternshavebeenidentifiedinallmatterthroughbreakthroughsmadeby twentieth century physicists likeMax von Laue, Ernest Rutherford,NielsBohr,andMaxPlanck,amongothers.AsFritjofCapradescribesinTheTaoofPhysics,atthesubatomiclevelallmatter(livingornonliving)dissolves into wavelike patterns that represent probabilities ofinterconnections.Morespecifically,subatomicparticleshavenomeaningas isolated entities, but can only be understood as interconnectionsbetween the observer and the matter being observed. Capra states,“Quantum theory thus reveals a basic oneness of the universe.”13 Thephysicists who contributed to the filmWhat the Bleep Do We Know!?

describethisphenomenonas“Allparticlesareintimatelylinkedonsomelevelthatisbeyondtimeandspace.”Quantumphysics“paintsapictureoftheuniverseasaunifiedwhole,whosepartsare interconnectedandinfluenceeachother.”14

When you consider basic nutritional theory through the statementsandfindingsofrawfoodproponentslikeNataliaRoseandDavidWolfe,inlightofKirlianphotographyandmoreimportantly,quantumtheory,youcanreachthefollowingconclusionswithouttoomuchofastretch:(1)We(andallmatter)giveoffacertainamountofenergyintheformof vibrations. (2) Living things give off higher energy than nonlivingthings.(3)Ifweconsumelivingthings,wearetakingmoreenergyintoour bodies than ifwe consume nonliving things. (4) Ifwe eat higher-energy food,we aremore likely to have higher energy than ifwe eatlow-orno-energyfood.Whatyoudowiththisinformationisuptoyou.Itisworthyourtimetoassesswhetheryourdailyfoodintakehashigh,low,ornoenergyandconsidertheimplications.

5.JuiceSomePercentageofYourFruitsandVegetablesRegularly

NormanWalkerandAnnWigmorewerethefirsttotouttheadvantagesofjuicingyourfood.Oneofthegreatestadvantagesofjuicingisthatthejuicer, by separating the nutrient-filled liquid from the fiber in thevegetables and fruits, does a lot of the digestive work for you. As aresult, you give your digestive system a break while concurrentlybombarding it with all things that are good for it (and you). Thedownsidetojuicingistheexpenseofajuicer,thetimeittakestojuice,and if youarenot creative inyour combinationsor adding spices, thejuicemaybeunbearable todrink.You can spiceup the tasteof greenjuicebyaddinglemons,ginger,cilantro,orevenparsley.Norman Walker stated that the two reasons for drinking fresh

vegetable juices (nothing from a can or bottle) are (1) to obtain thehighestqualityorganicwaterfromthevegetables,and(2)toextractallof theminerals and vitamins from the plants so your body can easilyprocess them.15 AnnWigmore was a big proponent of the benefits ofwheatgrass juice. The human body cannot process wheatgrass in itstotally raw state.Wheatgrass contains twentyof the twenty-oneamino

acids used as the building blocks of protein. Whether the body canutilizetheseinanefficientmannerhasnotbeenscientificallyproven.AnnWigmoreclaimsthatwheatgrasscontainsvitaminsA,B,C,andE

andthemineralsmagnesium,potassium,andcalcium.Wigmore,throughher own research on herself, patients, and thousands of guests at herHippocratesHealthInstitute,wasabletousewheatgrass to improveoreradicatemanytypesofdiseases.YoucanreadaboutherexperiencesinTheWheatgrassBook.GabrielCousenstalksaboutthebenefitsofjuicinginConsciousEating.Hepointsoutthatjuicesbringanalkalineforceintothe body that helps to neutralize the toxic acidity from which mostpeoplesuffer.AlkalinityandacidityrepresentpHlevelsofthebodyandare discussed in detail in Chapter Eight, “pH level.” This speeds therecoveryfromdiseasebysupportingthebody’sownhealingactivityandcellregeneration.16

A possible alternative to juicing is drinking green smoothies. Greensmoothies,firstmadepopularbyVictoriaBoutenkoinherbookGreenforLife,involvetheblending(asopposedtojuicing)ofgreensusuallywithbananas or some other type of fruit. The use of fruitmakes the drinkpalatable.Andincludinggreensprovidesbothvitaminsandmineralsaswellasfiberbecauseyouarenotjuicingoutthefiberintheblender.Thebenefit youget from juicing thatyoudon’t get froma smoothie is theseparationofthehigh-nutrientliquidfromthefiberthatassistsinyourdigestiveprocess.Juice fasting (as well as water fasting, discussed in the chapters on

water andhealth care) is a commonpractice among raw foodists.Thevalueofjuicingtothebodyappearstobefairlyclearbasedonyearsofpersonal experimentation and documentation by physicians andscientists like NormanWalker, Gabriel Cousens, and AnnWigmore aswellasJoelFuhrmanandDavidJubb,nottomentionnon-rawfoodistslikeJackLaLanne.Juicefastingisusuallyundertakenforbothphysicaland spiritual cleansing. Dr. Cousens states that most people, with theexception of those ten pounds or more underweight or with severewasting disease, can benefit from fasting. Fasting, he states, has beenknowntoalleviatemanydiseasesandisactuallyquitesafe.17

6.FollowFood-CombiningRules

The basic principle of food combining claims that the combination ofdifferentfoodseatenatonemealcaneitherhelporhinderdigestionandoverallhealth.WilliamHowardHay introduced food combining to theUnited States in 1911. His approachwas based upon the ideas at thetimeregardingthedegreeofalkalinityrequiredtodigestthefoodinthestomachandthepHoffooditself.HerbertM.Sheltonalsocontributedafood classification based on the type of nutrients in products. Sheltoncategorized foods into three groups—protein products, carbohydrateproducts, and “neutral” products—and recommended eating proteinsandcarbohydratesatseparatemeals.Today, you can obtain suggestions regarding food combining from

many of the raw food experts referenced in this book. Natalia RoseaddressesfoodcombininginherbooksTheRawFoodDetoxDietandRawFood Life Force Energy as the quick-exit principle. She states that “thefoodsandcombinationsoffoodsyoueatmustmakeaquickexitinorderfor them to contribute to your Life Force Energy quotient.”18 Others,such as Brian Clement from the Hippocrates Health Institute, havedeveloped very detailed and strict guidelines for food combining thattheypassontotheirpatientsandguestsattheinstitute.GabrielCousenssuggests that the simplest rule of food combining is “to eat a food, orcombinationsoffoods,thatinourdirectexperienceareeasiestforustodigestandtherebymaintainourlifeenergyandenzymereserve.”19Thebottom line is that if you eat foods according to the rules of foodcombining,theywillleaveyourbodyinashorterperiodoftimethanifyou didn’t follow the rules. And the rules can come from a group ofnutritionistsor fromyourownbody. It’s just importanttoget thefoodoutofyourbodyasquicklyaspossible,threetofourhoursmaximuminthestomach.Forexample, fresh fruitonanempty stomach leaves the stomach in

fifteentotwentyminutes,whilevegetablestakeaboutanhour.Ittakesaboutthreetofourhoursforeachofthefollowingfoods(alone)toexityour stomach: a serving of pasta, whole grain cereal, fish, or chickenbreast.Chickenwithbroccoliwould still takeonlyabout three to fourhourstoexit thestomach.However,chickenandbreadorchickenandfries takes about eight hours to exit the stomach.20 The morecombinationsyoueatsimultaneously,thelongerittakesthefoodtoexit

fromyourstomach.Gabriel Cousens suggests that you note what combinations of foods

youeatandthen,onetothreehourslater,determineifyouhaveanyofthe following symptoms: gas, bloating, headache, feeling full, feelinghungry, indigestion, food feeling likea lump. Ifyouhaveanyof thesesymptoms, you need to either improve the quality of your foodcombiningand/ordecreasethequantityoffood.Thefollowingarebasicprinciples of food combining.All are driven by the basic premise thatyou should not eat foods simultaneously that will cause the totaldigestion time of the food with the longest digestion time to beincreased.Theserulesareasfollows:(1)Donoteatcarbohydratesandproteins together. Proteins combinewithvegetables and carbohydratescombinewithvegetables,butdon’tmix the two. (2)Fresh fruit shouldonlybeeatenaloneonanemptystomach.Fruitseatenwithotherfoods,especially vegetables, can cause a backup in the digestive system andproduce bloating. (3) Combine nutswith only other nuts, seeds, driedfruits, bananas, and all raw vegetables. (4) Dried fruits combine onlywith other dried fruits, avocados, bananas, nuts, and all rawvegetables.21Certain foods like avocados, lemons, andpapaya seem togowellwithanytypeoffood.As you can imagine, the rules of food combining can become rather

cumbersome and complicated. To avoid frustration, if you do have aninterest, the best place to start with basic combining concepts isprobably Rose’s book Raw Food Life Force Energy. As with all of theconcepts in this book, I am presenting information in an objectivemanner, making it possible for you to analyze and decide what, ifanything, youwant todowith it. Theremaybeone topic, like eatingfresh and organic or figuring out how to getmore enzymes into yourowndiet,thatmayinterestyou.Youcanbeginexperimentingusingtheinformationinthisbookandthenreferencingtheresourcesprovidedinthe appendices. As you move along, remember to refer back often toyournutritionalvalues,vision,andmissionstatement(VVMS)asaguideforyourownactions. It cankeepyou focused,keepyouon track,andhelpyoumakesomepositivechangesinyournutritionalhabits.

THEfood

CHAPTER5

TheGreatChocolateDebate

The eating of fine chocolate is a tradition passed down in myfamily. I learned it frommy fatherandhisgourmethot-fudge sundaesandtheboxesofRussellStovercandieshewouldbuymeforValentine’sDay,mybirthday,andotherspecialoccasions.Ihavetaste-testedalmostevery typeofchocolate fromeverycountryover thepast fortyyears—Belgiumismyfavorite,bytheway.Bythetimemydaughterwasfour,Iwasalreadypassingonthetraditiontoherwhenwecreatedagameoutofappreciating the Godiva chocolate candy barswe had purchased forourselves one day. Themain rule to the gamewas that youwere notallowed to bite or chew the chocolate; you had to let itmelt in yourmouth.Luckilyforus,Godivawasstillusingcocoabutterbackthenandnot the oily substitutes that many chocolate bars contain today toenhance the shelf life. Since cocoa butter melts at about the sametemperatureasthebody,thechocolatebars,whichtasteddivine,meltedratherquickly.Today,mychocolatetasteshaveturnedtorawchocolate.Raw chocolate, made from raw cacao beans, is always dark and at

least 75 percent cacao (pronounced ka-cow), not to be confused withcocoa,thesweetened,cookedformofthecacaobean.Myfavoriterecipeis an organic, raw, vegan super chocolate fudge bar made with rawcacao,rawcacaobutter,rawcoconutoil,rawagavenectar,organicrawwholevanillabean,organicrawcayenne,andorganicHimalayancrystalsalt.ThebarsaremadebyJon-MichaelKerestes,ownerofLoveStreetLivingFoods.WhenIinterviewedJon-Michael,hesaidthathebecamearawchocolatierafterhesawpeople’sreactionstothefood.HebroughtsomerawchocolatebarstoapartyinLosAngelesandsawthatpeoplecouldn’tstopatjustonepiece,andeventuallytheywerecompetingfor

thelastfewpieces.“Ifrawcacaocancreatethisreactioninpeopleandit’sgoodforyou,”hethought,“thisisabusinessImuststart.”Andsohedid.Andmanyofusaregratefulforthat.Thegreatchocolatedebateintherawfoodworldiswhethercacaoistruly a nutritious raw food.The arguments range fromone endof thespectrum to the other. Dr. David Klein claims in his Vibrance e-zinemagazinethatcacaoisneitheratruerawfoodnor is ithealthy.DavidWolfe,however,claimsit isarawsuperfood.Wolfeexperimentedwithrawcacaoextensively,andheevenwroteabookdedicatedtohiscacao-relatedactivities,calledNakedChocolate.Inthischapter,wediscussthechocolatecontroversy,somespecificperspectivesonchocolate,andrawchocolatealternatives.Wewillalsoexplorethecacaobean,thesourceofallchocolate—rawornot.

TheCacaoTreeandtheCacaoBean

Thecacaobean,grownoncacaotrees,isthesourceofallchocolate.Thebitternessof thefoodkept it frompopularity intheUnitedStatesuntilpeoplelikeMiltonS.Hersheyfoundawaytosoftenthetastewithmilkandsugar.Let’s lookatcacaoin itspure,unadulteratedform.CacaoistheseedfromthefruitofanAmazoniantreethatwasbroughttoCentralAmericasometimearound1000BC.CacaobeansweresoreveredbytheMayans andAztecs that they used them asmoney.1 In 1753, SwedishscientistCarlLinnaeusnamedthetreeTheobromacacao,whichliterallymeans“cacao,thefoodofthegods.”Cacaobeanscontainnosugarandbetween12percentand50percentfat depending on variety and growth conditions.2 Raw cacao beansappeartobeanexcellentsourceofmagnesium.3TheStardardAmericanDietislowinmagnesium.Althoughmanyfoodscontainmagnesium,itisusually removed from the foods during processing. Examples of foodsthat contain magnesium prior to processing but none after processinginclude: avocados, olives, peanuts, and molasses.4 Magnesium is amineral that is essential for cardiovascular, digestive, neurological,musculoskeletal, andmental health.Andyou cangetmagnesium fromrawcacao. It isdifficult to findofficialdocumentationon thecompletenutritionalcontentoftherawcacaobean.However,itispossibletofind

officialnutritionalcontentofunsweetenedcocoapowder,madefromthecacaobean.One cup of unsweetened cocoa powder contains 165 percent of thedaily recommended values of manganese, 163 percent of copper, 107percentofmagnesium,66percentofiron,63percentofphosphorus,39percent of zinc, 37 percent of potassium, 18 percent of selenium, 12percentofriboflavin,11percentofcalcium,9percentofniacin,and7percentoffolate.5Becausecocoapowderisamodifiedformoftherawcacaobean,chancesaregreat that thenutritionalcontentof thecacaobean is actually higher. This information points to cacao as being anutritiousfood.Three caveats to keep in mind: First, the official nutritionalinformationpresented forunsweetenedcocoapowder is foronecupofthe stuff, which, unless you are a full-fledged chocoholic, you areunlikelytoeatduringthecourseofaday,orevenaweek.Secondandthird are the fat and caffeine contents of the food. Depending on thecacaobeanitself,thefoodcontainsanywherefrom18to35percentfatcontent.Further,onedrycupofunsweetenedcocoapowderhasaboutthe same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. So, the likelihood ofgettingacoffeelikecaffeinebuzzfromcocoapowderwouldoccuronlyifyouateaboutatrayandahalfofbrowniesinonesitting.Itispossible,butnotlikelyformostofus.In thepast fiveyears, dark chocolatehasmade the superfoods listofphysiciansandnutritionistslikeDr.MichaelRoizenandDr.MehmetOz.So there appears to be a mainstream recognition of the value ofchocolate. There is also plenty of research to support thisrecommendation. Researchers have found high levels of polyphenols,which have anticancer properties, in dark chocolate.6 They have alsofound that the flavonols in cocoa can boost blood flow, and suppressinflammatory responses and the tendency for blood clot formation.7John Robbins explains, in his foreword to Health by Chocolate, thatpolyphenols inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol as well as theclumpingofbloodcells.Asaresult,chocolatemayprotecteaters fromdeveloping atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Dr. Carl Keenand his research team at the University of California–Davis foundsupport for the claim that ongoing consumption of cocoa may be

associatedwithimprovedcardiovascularhealth.8

AccordingtonutritionistsattheUniversityofArizona,chocolatemaybeusedsubconsciouslybysomeasaformofself-medicationfordietarydeficiencies like magnesium or to balance low levels ofneurotransmitters involved in theregulationofmood, food intake,andcompulsivebehaviors(serotoninsanddopamine).Chocolatecravingsareoften episodic and fluctuate with hormonal changes just before andduringthemenstrualcycle,whichsuggestsahormonallinkandconfirmsthe assumed gender-specific nature of chocolate cravings.9 GabrielCousensandDavidWolfesuggestthatthebeststrategyforovercomingchocolate addictions may be to switch from processed chocolate tocacao. In its natural state, cacao is also less likely to be allergenic,addictive,orreactivetothebody.

IsChocolateaDrug?

In his book From Chocolate to Morphine: Everything You Need to KnowAbout Mind-Altering Drugs, Dr. Andrew Weil defines a drug as anysubstance that in small amounts produces significant changes in thebody,mind,orboth.10Generally,foodisgoodforus.However,wehaveprobably all experienced times when food is not good for us. Thisincludeswhenfoodisabusedgenerallyorwhencertainsubstanceslikecaffeine are abused. Widespread food abuse is evidenced by the dietbookandweight-lossprogrammegaindustryintheUnitedStates.Therearemanymetaphors forhunger inour society.Weoften eatwhenwereallyneedtofulfillahungerforsomethingelse,suchasincreasedself-esteem, a more enjoyable vocation, or better relationships. Dr. AnitaJohnstondescribesseveralmetaphors inherbook,Eating in theLightoftheMoon, and states, “Whenwecandefineourhungersanddevelopadeeperawarenessofwhatwearehungryfor,wecanbegintoseektheappropriatenourishment.”11

Dr.Weilnotes thatmostchocoholics, thoughnot all, arewomen.Healsomentions that the craving for chocolate inmostwomen increasesjustbeforethemenstrualcyclebegins.Dr.Weiltheorizesthatchocolateisused,inthismanner,asanantidepressant.HedescribesthecaseofapatientwhousedAlcoholicsAnonymoustokickhischocolateaddiction.

After many unsuccessful attempts at stopping his chocolate obsession,AAprovedtobeasuccessfulsolutionforthisindividual.Whetherchocolateisadrugornotdependslargelyontheindividualandhisuseof the food.Ofparticularnote isDr.Weil’sboldstatementthat “Human beings appear to have an inborn need for periodicvariations in consciousness and drugs can be an easy route to theseexperiences.”12Ifyouareusingafood,oranysubstance,toachieveanalterationinconsciousness,youareusingitasadrug.Andevenifyouare,whether this isaproblemdependsuponthings like frequencyandoverall impact on your life. Depending on your orientation towardchocolate(rawornot),thisinformationmaybehelpfultoyouinbeingawareofyourrelationshiptothefood,itseffectonyou,anditsimpactonyourlifeandfunctioningoverall.

TheRawChocolateControversy

Eveninthefaceofallofthesupportforamorerefinedversionofcacaobeans,therearestillsomerawfoodistswhodonotbelievethatcacaoisanutritionallysoundrawfood.Theseindividualsandgroupsappeartobeintheminorityoverall.Andmanywhopreviouslysupportedtheuseof carob as a chocolate-like substitute are now cacao converts. If youchoosetotrytherawversionofchocolate(unlessyoureallyenjoydarkchocolate,youwillnotenjoyrawchocolate),youcanseehowyourtastebudsandyourbodyreact.Thereareseveralopinionsoncacaoanditsderivativesfromrawfoodleaders. Some of them are official; others I have taken the liberty ofcraftingbaseduponwritingsoftheseindividuals.NataliaRoseincludesorganicdarkchocolate(inparticularDagobaandGreen&Black’sbars)on her list of raw foods. Although I no longer eat these bars, I mustadmit they savedme during the transition process until I was able tofindpurerawchocolatesubstitutes.AnnWigmoreandNormanWalkerdonotmentioncacaoorchocolateinanyoftheirwritings.NeitherdoesBrian Clement. Although it is raw, cacao is not on the menu at theHippocrates Health Institute because it is not living. Cousens includesrawcacaobeansonhisPhase1Diet—foodssuitableforindividualswithdiabetes.Rawchocolateisnotaddressedinhisbook;butattheTreeof

Life’sstore,Cousenssellssomeofthebestrawchocolatecupsfilledwithnut butter and fruit that I have ever had. In addition, raw cacaosweetenedwithsteviawouldbeonthePhase1Diet.VictoriaBoutenkoincludesarecipeinherun-cookbookfortheunchocolatecakemadewithcarob,notcacao.AndAlissaCohenusesdatesandcarobinallofherrawrecipes,although she recentlybegan selling rawchocolateonherWebsite.“Chocolate should be viewed as a celebratory food.”13 Jennifer

Cornbleet’sun-cookbookRawFoodMadeEasymakesthissuggestion.Foranyonewithaweaknessforchocolate,thismaybeagoodwaytoviewthecacaobeanand itsderivatives. Ifyouare like I am,my tastebudsnevergetsickofrawchocolateanything.However,whenIoverdoit,mybodyreactswithskinbreakoutsandweightgain.Tocombatthis,IgiveupallchocolateduringLent.Thisfastingalsogivesmeatimetorethinkmypositiononchocolateanddevelopanewappreciationforit.

CarobversusCacao

AsIstatedabove,manyof therawun-cookbooksusecocoapowderorraw carob chips, and many use the carob/date combination as asubstitute for chocolate. Table 5.1 compares the nutritional value ofequal amounts of carob and unsweetened cocoa powder. The biggestdownside to carob, based on this table, is the 51 grams of sugarscompared to 2 grams of sugar in unsweetened cocoa. The glycemicload14 of carob is 31versus4 for cocoa.Cacao is estimated tohave aglycemic load of about 1. No one can really eat unsweetened cocoawithout something to temper the bitterness of the food, so thiscomparisoncanbeseenasafallacy.However,thefollowingfactsshouldbeconsidered in lightof thecarobversuscacaocomparison.First, rawcacaonibs,whicharegroundupcacaobeanswithnoadditives,canbeeaten plain. They are not nearly as bitter as cocoa. Second, there aresweetenersusedbyrawfoodists,describedindetailinthenextchapter,thatcanbeusedtokeeptheglycemicloadquitelow.Thesesweetenersincludestevia,agave,andyacónsyrup.

Table5.1—NutritionalContentofCarobandCocoa15

Topic CarobFlour UnsweetenedCocoa

Calories 229 197

Fat 1g 12g

Sodium 36mg 18mg

Carbohydrates 92g 47g

Fiber 41g 29g

Sugars 51g 2g

Protein 5g 17g

Calcium 36% 11%

Iron 17% 66%

Glycemicload 31 4

Theotherissuetoconsideraboutcarobisitstaste.Ithasaflavorallits own, which is both sweet and distinct. And like cacao, carob isgroundintoapowder.Carobpowderisgenerallyalittlelighterincolorthancacao.Andalthoughitisbrownincolorlikechocolate,carobdoesnotreally tastemuch like itatall.Mixedwithdates,whichhave theirownhighsugarcontentandglycemicload,thecarobismorepalatable.Andsomerecipesuseavocadostotemperthetasteofcarob.Youcanusethenutritionalcontentinformationandyourowntastebudstomakeadecision about whether you want to include carob in your list ofnutritional“musthaves.”The concept of food combining is used religiously by many raw

foodists, as described in Chapter Four. The use of carob and cacaotogether is a common food-combining practice. The reason for this isthat the bitter flavor of cacao complements the sweet flavor of carob.Youcanmixthetwotogetherandtrythemtoseewhatyouthink.

WhattoLookforinaGoodNon-RawChocolateCandyBar

If you are wondering what some good criteria are for a non-rawchocolatecandybar,onethatyoucanbuyatWholeFoodsoryourlocalhealth food store, consider the criteria below. If you can find a brand(likeDagobaorGreen&Black’s)thatmeetsallofthesecriteria, itwillgenerallybebetterforyourbodythanabarwithlessornoneofthesecriteria. A good rule of thumb is to use asmany of the criteria listedbelow as you can in looking for the optimally nutritious mainstreamchocolate candy bar. The bar should contain a statement on the labelthatindicatesthefollowing:

Atleast70percentcacao(rawcacao,ifpossible)

Containscertifiedorganicingredients

Geneticallymodifiedorganisms(GMOs)free

Vegan(milk-free,dairy-free,alsosoy-free)

Rawsweetener(agave,molasses,orrawcanesugar)

ChallengesintheRawChocolateIndustry

Demandforrawchocolateusuallyoutstripssupply.Insuchasituation,thescienceofeconomicswoulddictatethattherationalsupplierwouldraisethepriceforthegoodsuntiltherationalconsumerdemandwoulddecreasetothepointwheresupplyanddemandareinsync.Inreality,supplyanddemandarerarelyexact.Andallsuppliersandconsumersdonotactrationally.I interviewed some raw chocolatiers for this chapter and found thatmany have similar concerns. The chocolatiers said they generally areunwilling to raise the price of their chocolate products just becausedemand is higher than supply. However, there are many, many rawfoodistswhowouldwillinglypayhigherpricesforrawchocolate.Wheredoesthisleaveusintherawchocolatescheme?Itleavesuswithunmetdemand.Atypicalconsumerwouldgetangry,butthat’snottherawandlivingfoodway.Sotheconsumerinthisscenarioeitherwaitsordecidestomakehisownrawchocolateproducts.Theprocess,whichconsistsofcombining raw cacao beans and agave nectar (per the goraw.com

recipe), just needs to be adjusted by the consumer until he finds theproportionforhistastebuds.Other challenges in the raw chocolate industry include obtaining anadequate supply of high-quality raw cacao beans. Most beans areimported fromEcuador anduntil recently, therewere few suppliers intheUnitedStateswhoimporteddirectly.Anotherchallengeistheshelflife of thebar.Dependingon the sweetenerused, the shelf life canbeweeks ormonths. Of course, the typical Hershey bar or any bar withpartially hydrogenated fats can have a one-year-plus shelf life. If rawchocolatiersare trying topleaseAmericansbasedonpastexpectations,theseneedswillneverbemet.Askyourself:Do I love the tasteof rawchocolate? Do I want to eat only high-quality, good for me rawchocolate?Ifyes,thenyouwillhavetoeithermakeyourownoridentifyseveralrawchocolatesupplierswhocansubstituteforeachotherwhenoneislowonproduct.Notallrawchocolateiscreatedequally.

SourcesofRawChocolate

LoveStreetLivingFoods(www.lovestreetlivingfoods.com)

GoRaw(www.goraw.com)

PureFoodandWinetakeaway(www.oneluckyduck.com)

AwesomeFoods(www.awesomefoods.com)

TreeofLife(on-siteonlyinPatagonia,Arizona)

CaféGratitude,Berkeley,CA,Healdsburg,CA,Oakland,CA,SanFrancisco,CA,andSanRafael,CA(www.cafegratitude.com)

GnosisChocolate(www.gnosischocolate.com)

CHAPTER6

RawSweeteners

Whetheryouareinterestedintherawfoodlifestyleornot,howandif your food is sweetened should be of interest to you. Syntheticallyproduced or chemically altered products like Sweet’N Low, Equal,Splenda,orrefinedsugararenotinthevocabularyorthemind-setoftheraw foodist. Inaddition,artificial sweetenershavenonutritionalvalueandmayevencauseharm.Dependingontheschoolofrawfoodthatyousubscribe to, terms likestevia(anaturallygrowing leaf),agave(nectarfrom the cactus plant), and yacón (syrup from the yacón—a rootvegetableplant)mayrepresentsomeofthecontentsofthefoodonyourplate.

TheSugarBlues

In 1975, William Dufty wrote the book Sugar Blues. The book wasinspiredbyDufty’swithdrawalfromasignificantsugaraddictioninthe1960s.Interestingly,Dr.OttoWarburg’sfindingofacausallinkbetweensugar and cancer in 1924 (addressed in Chapter Eight) is not evenmentionedbyDufty.ThisprobablyhaslesstodowithDufty’sskillsasaresearcher and more to do with mainstream media’s ability to burystoriesthatcreatethewrongkindofcontroversy.InSugarBlues,Duftydescribesthehistoryofrefinedsugarinourdiets

dating back to the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. He providessomegoodevidencethattheknowndangersofeatingrefinedsugardateback to 1664. ThomasWillis, a physician in England, was among thefirst to identify diabetes. Willis documented the relationship betweenexcesssugarintheurineandthelikelihoodofdevelopingdiabetes.But

because the king’s largest business at the time was importing refinedsugar,Willisdidnotsharethisinformationpublicly—awisemoveforaseventeenth century physician who wanted to avoid being banished.Today, we still find many of our dietary choices being driven bygovernmentpolicy, someofwhichmaybe tobenefit industry andnotthecitizen.IntheprefacetoSugarBlues,Duftydefinessugar,definestheblues,andthenhedefines the term sugarblues as the following: “Sugar is refinedsucrose, C12H22O11, produced by multiple-chemical processing of thejuiceofthesugarcaneorsugarbeetandremovalofallfiberandprotein,which amounts to 90 percent of the natural plant. Blues is a state ofdepression or melancholy overlaid with fear, physical discomfort, andanxiety. And sugar blues is defined as multiple physical and mentalmiseries caused by human consumption of refined sugar—commonlycalledsucrose.”1

Around the time that Dufty’s book was published, sugar substitutesbecamepopular.Thereasonforsugarsubstituteswas,ofcourse,nottoimprove the nutritional value of the food, but rather to decrease thecaloric content because sugar is about 60 calories per teaspoon andSweet’NLowiszerocalories.Therawfoodapproachrecognizesboththehumandesire for sweetness in our food aswell as the need for soundnutrition. Believe it or not, there are several natural sources ofsweetness,usedbymanyormostrawfoodists,thattastewonderfulandare nutritious. The one drawback (for anyone who is worried aboutcalories)isthatthereisonlyonerawfoodsweetenerwithzerocalories.Thatisthenaturallysweetherb,stevia.

GlycemicLoad

Inanydiscussionaboutsweeteners,itisnecessarytoaddresstheimpactofanysweeteneronbloodsugar.Inthischapter,andthroughouttherestofthebook,Iuseglycemicloadasanindicatorofthefood’simpactonyourbody’sbloodsugar.Glycemicload,whichusesglycemicindexinitscalculation,givesarelativeindicationofhowmuchaservingoffoodislikely to increase your blood sugar level. As a rule of thumb, mostnutritional experts consider glycemic loads below 10 to be low and

above20tobehigh.2Intherawandlivingfoodworlds,thecriteriatendtobemorestrict.InthecaseofDr.GabrielCousens’nutritionalprogramdesign,theglycemicindexlevelforallfoodis,ingeneral,nomorethan1.Alowglycemicloadisgood.Ahighglycemicloadisbad.

TheRaw/LivingFoodSweetenerControversy

Aswithmostphilosophies,therearedisagreementswithintherawandlivingfoodmovement.Conservativeseatonly livingfoods,and liberalseatbothlivingandrawfoods.Itisimportanttoclarifythattheissueisnotwhethertosweetenfood,buthowtosweetenthefood.Fromtimetotime,weallneedsomethingsweet.Therangeofphilosophiesonhowtosweetenyourfoodcanbedividedintothefollowingsevensteps:

1.OnlyFreshFruittoSweeten

Fresh fruit provides the only way to sweeten food using livingingredients. Most of the other sweeteners mentioned below areconsideredraw, butnotnecessarily living.Recall from the Introductionthat the primary difference between these two types of foods is thatliving foods still contain living enzymes and raw foods do not. Drs.David Klein and Doug Graham and their followers subscribe to thisliving philosophy. In fact, they advocate that for most of us, a highpercentage of our diet should be fruit-based. Their methodologies forsweeteningfood,whichyoucanreadaboutinmosteditionsofVibrancee-zine, include using the following sweet fruits: oranges, tangerines,bananas, apples, pears, melons, grapes, papayas, berries, peaches,mangos, and similar fruits. Fresh and living fruits are very nutritious.But sugar is still sugar, regardlessof the form it takes,and thenaturalfructose(naturalsugarinfruit)contentinmostfreshfruitscancarryaglycemicloadfrom4toabout12perserving.

2.FreshandDriedFruittoSweeten

Inadditiontotheabovelist,livingfoodadvocatesalsosupporttheuseof dried fruit for sweetening purposes. Themost common dried fruits

usedforsweeteningaredates,figs,raisins,andgojiberries.Thesefruitsshouldbedriedwithoutanyadditivesorchemicals.Youcanfindorganicfruit inhealth foodstores,butmost supermarkets selldried fruitswithpreservatives and other chemicals that can wreak havoc on yourdigestivesystem.Theglycemicloadfordriedfruitisquitehighandcanrange anywhere fromabout35 (for dates) to44 (for figs) and75 (forraisins). The caloric content for dried fruit is high, and it ranges fromabout150to300caloriesperserving.

3.CoconutPulp,Zucchini,andStevia

Dr. Gabriel Cousens has designed an intricate system for determiningfoods thatareprocessedmostefficientlyby thebody,whetheryouaredisease-freeorhaveachronicdisorderlikediabetes.HisPhase1Dietisthefoodplanheconsiderstobetheideal.Itincludesonlycoconutpulp,zucchini, and stevia as sweeteners. The glycemic load of thesesweetenersis1orless.YoucanfindoutmoreaboutDr.Cousens’dietaryrecommendationsinhisbookRainbowGreenLive-FoodCuisine.Althoughyou may not have thought of zucchini as a sweetener, when it isshredded and added to recipes, zucchini adds a good, natural, lightsweetness.

4.CoconutWater,Mesquite,andMaca

Thesesweetenersreflectthenext(ormoreliberal)levelofDr.Cousens’diet,whichhecallsthePhase1.5Diet,ornotquitetheideal.Inadditionto coconut pulp, stevia, and zucchini, Dr. Cousens’ Phase 1.5 Dietincludescoconutwater,mesquite,andmaca.

5.SweetVegetables(Yams,Pumpkin,Beets,Carrots),Carob,andBeePollen

ThesesweetenersareincludedinthenextlevelofDr.Cousens’RainbowGreenCuisinediet.ThisiswhathecallsthePhase2Diet,anditismeanttobeatransitionalphaseonthewaytotheideal1or1.5dietarylevel.Individualsmay spend time in each of the three levels, depending on

theirspecificneedsatthetime.Theonlyexceptionstothiswouldbeforindividualswithdiabetes.Forthoseindividuals,Dr.CousenshaswrittenanentirebookentitledThereIsaCureforDiabetes,whichaddressesmostnutritionalquestionsanyonewithdiabetesmayhave.

6.RawAgaveNectarandYacónSyrup

Rawfoodconverts fromthemainstreamtendtogetstuckintheagavenectar area when it comes to sweeteners. Even though the nectar isabout80percentfructose,theglycemicloadisverylowat1.Somerawfoodistsdonotbelievethatitispossibletoproduceapurerawversionofagavebecauseitmustbeheatedtoextractitfromtheplant.However,therearemanufacturerswhoclaimthat theagave is raw,and that thesyrupwasnotheatedabove115°F.Yacónisarelativenewcomertotheraw food world, but it has been recommended for use by those withdiabetes. Agave in particular is probably the most palatable rawsweetener, although at 60 calories per tablespoon, it is fairly high incalories.

7.RawHoney

There are raw food un-cookbooks and raw food restaurants that usehoney in their recipes, probably because they believe the nutritionalbenefits outweigh philosophical issues. Although honey is not vegan,therearemanyrawfoodstoresthatsellrawhoney.Rawhoneyisfullofnutrients,althoughtheglycemicloadandcaloriecontentarebothfairlyhigh at 10 and 65 calories per tablespoon, respectively. The lingeringproblemis thathoney isaproductof thebee,ananimal.Therefore, itviolatestheveganprinciples.

RawSweetenersinAlphabeticalOrder

Thissectioncontainsinformationabouttheoriginofeachsweetener,adescription of it, basic nutritional information, its use in foodpreparation,andwhereitcanbepurchased.

Agave

Agavesyrup,sometimescalledagavenectar,isasweetenerfromMexicoandthesouthwesternUnitedStates.Thesubstancecanbeobtainedfromseveralspeciesoftheagaveplant,includingAgavetequilana(alsocalledblueagaveortequilaagave).Basedontheplantoforigin,agaveiseitheramber(dark)orlightincolor.Althoughofficialnutritionaldataarenotavailable, instructors at the Tree of Life and others believe that thedarkeragavehasalowerglycemicloadthanthelightagave.Sincetheytasteprettymuchthesame,itmightbeagoodideatochoosetheamberagaveifyouaregoingtouseit.Agave syrup is sweeter than honey, though less gummy. Uncooked

agavesyrupisabout80percentfructosewithaglycemicloadof1thattriples to 3 (still relatively low) if cooked. A tablespoon of agave hasabout 60 calories. The substance contains some calcium, magnesium,andiron.Agave syrup can be substituted for sugar in recipes. Generally, use

one-thirdcupofagavesyrupforeveryonecupofsugarintheoriginalrecipe. The quantity of liquids in the original recipe should also bereducedduetothemoistureincludedinthesyrup.Ifyouareusingtheagave inacookedrecipe, reducetheoventemperatureby25°F.Agavecan be purchased inWhole Foods stores,most health food stores, andeven online through Amazon.com. Purchasing a brand like Madhava,Wholesome Sweeteners, or Natural Zing will ensure that the agave israw.Unlessthewordrawisstatedonthelabel,youshouldassumetheagave is cooked,whichataminimum,will increase theglycemic loadfrom1to3andlikelydecreasenutrientvalue.Theaveragepricefora16-ouncebottleofagaveisabout$10.

BeePollen

Beepollenisbroughttousbythefemaleworkerbee.Thepollenfromflowersstickstoherlegsandthenasshereturnstothehive,shepassesthroughawiremeshscreen,wherethepollenrubsoffandiscollected.The high life force in pollen comes from the living plant energycontainedwithin it as a result of the female bee’s collection process.3

Beepollenisanotherreligiousfood,mentionedsixty-eighttimesintheBibleandisalsonotedintheTalmudandtheKoran.Beepollencontainsmostnaturallyoccurringvitamins,minerals,carotenoids,bioflavonoids,amino acids (for protein building), fatty acids, and enzymes. Caloriccontent isabout20caloriespertablespoonandglycemicindexiszero.Youmustbeverycarefulpurchasingandhandlingbeepollenas itcanbecome rancid if not stored properly. Purchase bee pollen from areputablelocalbeekeeperorfromanatural-foodsourcewhoreceivesthepollen fresh and immediately freezes it. You should keep the pollenfrozenaswell.Bee pollen tastes vaguely like honeywith a slightlymedicinal taste.

When used in certain recipes, this can be masked using other foods.Moreimportantly,beepollenisseenasarawandlivingsuperfoodandissupportedbymostnutritionistsandphysicianswhoare interested innutrition.Forexample,Dr.Cousenssaysthatbeepollenis“theproactivelife forceof theplantworld… the finest foodandbestmedicine everdiscovered.Pollencontainstherichestsourceyetofvitamins,minerals,proteins,aminoacids,hormones,enzymes,andfats.”4Asasupplement,you can take about a tablespoon of bee pollen a day for maximumbenefit.Anegativesideeffectofbeepollenisforthosewhoareallergicto bees. If you are allergic, it is best to avoid bee pollen.While local,freshpurchaseofbeepollenisprobablyyourbestbet,youcanpurchaseraw bee pollen online at places like Natural Zing(www.naturalzing.com).

Carob

Carob is a member of the legume family, and as such, its roots hostbacteria that convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates,which can beused by plants tomake proteins. Carob beans are grown in pods andthencrushedandusedasafoodsubstance.Itisanotherreligiousfood,traditionally eaten on the Jewish holiday of Tu Bishvat. Carob juicedrinksaretraditionallydrunkontheIslamicholidayofRamadan.Carobpods were the most important source of sugar before sugarcane andsugarbeetsbecamewidelyavailable.Carobpowderandcarobchipsaresometimes used as an ingredient in cakes and cookies instead of

chocolate.A cup of carob flour (the only version of carob officially titrated innutritionaldata)has229calorieswith51gramsofsugar.Ithasonlyonegram of fat, which is why it is preferred by some to chocolate. Andbefore raw, vegan chocolate was available, carob could be used as avegan chocolate substitute. It does contain a fair number ofminerals,includingcalcium,magnesium,potassium,andmanganese.Rawfoodistseatpurecarobpowder,notcarobflour,whichhasotheradditives. One of the challenges with carob is finding a truly rawversion.Mostcarobpowderisatleastslightlyroasted.NaturalZingdoescarryatrulyrawversion,importedfromSpain.

Coconut(PulpandWater)

The type of coconut we are talking about here is the young Thaicoconut,nottheround,darkbrown,hairyversions.YoungThaicoconutsare white on the outside and pointed at the top. There are severalcaveatstokeepinmindifyouwanttoobtainthemaximumbenefitfromthe coconut meat and water. The coconuts should be organic, neversoakedinformaldehyde(astheysometimesaretopreservethemduringtravel), and as young as possible. If you are not immediately familiarwith the young Thai coconut, you have probably seen them inWholeFoodsorothermarkets.Therearea fewreliable Internet resources forthecoconutsaswell,likeGeneFitNutrition(www.genefitnutrition.com).Butbecauseavailabilityistenuous,youshouldalwaysverifywitheachorder that the coconuts are organic and formaldehyde-free. Let’s firstlookatcoconutwaterandthencoconutpulp.Coconutwaterhasalowglycemicindex,butitisstillhigherthantheglycemic index of coconut pulp. The coconut acts as a natural waterfilter that takes almost nine months to filter each liter of water. Thewatertravelsthroughmanyfibers,beingpurified, towhere it is storedawaysterileinthenutitself.Thiscoconutwaterispureandclearandisone of the highest known sources of electrolytes. Coconut water isidenticaltohumanbloodplasma,whichmakesittheuniversaldonor.Plasmamakes up 55 percent of human blood. Coconut water was used totransfusewoundedsoldiersduringWorldWarII.

You can obtain coconut water by using a cleaver to loosen up thecoconut’scasing.Onceyouhavedonethat,youcanpourthewaterfromthecoconut.Itisbesttodrinkthewaterimmediately,butyoucankeepit refrigerated for a few days and it will retain most of its valuableproperties.Inaddition,youcanusecoconutwaterinrecipesthatcallforfluids and sweeteners. You will have to experiment with specificproportions during the food preparation process to get the flavor youwant.CoconutpulpisonGabrielCousens’Phase1Diet,oroptimalrawdiet.Ithasaglycemicindexof1orless.Coconutpulp,whichlinestheinsideof the coconut casing, can be scooped out with a spoon. This pulp iswhite and sweet, andhas thenatural consistencyof a thick gelatin. Ittastesamazingonitsown,anditisusedbysomeofthemostrenownedrawfoodleaders,likeSarmaMelngailis,tocreaterawfrozenicecreamandothertastynutritionaldelights.Whenmyhusband,Joe,firststoppedatPureFoodandWineonhisownfordinner,heorderedtheirclassicicecreamsundaefordessert.Joewassopleasedwiththedishthathecouldnotbelieveitwasactuallygoodforhim.Hecalledmeseveraltimeswhilehewas eating the sundae to confirm and reconfirm thatwhat hewaseatingwas, infact,goodforhim.Joestillreturnswheneverhecanfordinnerandaclassicsundae.

GojiBerries

Gojiberriesarenative toTibetand theHimalayans.Theyarea sweet,reddish,driedfruitslightlysmallerthanaraisin.Thegojiberrycontainseighteenaminoacids,morebeta-carotenethancarrots,vitaminsB1,B2,andB6,E,andfivehundredtimestheamountofvitaminCthatorangeshave.AccordingtoGabrielCousens,gojiberrieshavebeenfoundtobeeffective in increasing white blood cells, lowering cholesterol, andburningbody fat.5One-quarter cupof goji berries contains90 calorieswith 12 grams of sugar, 4 grams of protein, and 24 grams ofcarbohydrates.Gojiberriesalsocomeinjuiceform,butthejuicesareusuallyhighinaddedsugarsastheyarecreatedfromaconcentrate.Itisbesttoeatgojiberriesdried.Andiftheyaretoochewyordry,soaktheminwaterfor

thirtyminutesbeforeeatingthemorusingtheminarecipe.YoucanbuygojiberriesatWholeFoods,healthfoodstores,andmanyonlinestoresforanaveragepriceofabout$18–20perpound.

Honey(Raw)

The term vegan was coined by Donald Watson in 1944 as “a way oflivingthatexcludesallformsofexploitationofandcrueltytotheanimalkingdomandincludesareverenceforlife.”Itappliestothepracticeofliving on the products of the plant kingdom to the exclusion of flesh,fish, fowl, eggs, honey, and animal milk and its derivatives, andencouragestheuseofalternativesforallcommoditiesderivedwhollyorinpartfromanimals.6Honeyismadewhenflowernectarismixedwithbees’saliva,hencetheveganissue.Becauseitissoldandusedbysomeraw foodists, I address it in this chapter. Again, based on your ownassessment,yourbeliefs,and theneedsofyourbody,youwillneed todeterminewhatpathistherightoneforyou.Becausetheprocessingofrawhoneyremovesvaluablenutrientsfrom

the substance, we will only address honey in its raw form here. Rawhoneyisprobablynotthehoneyyouareusedto.Initsrawstate,honeytakesonahardertextureandiswhitishincolor.Thepollenthatcollectsonthebees’legsastheymovefromplanttoplantisonlyashealthfulasthoseplants.Somephytonutrients found inhoneyhavebeen shown topossess cancer-preventing and antitumor properties. Researchers havediscovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals byshuttingdowntheactivityoftwoenzymes.7

Honey increases calcium absorption, can increase hemoglobin countand treat or prevent anemia caused by nutritional factors, fights coldsand respiratory infections, and provides an array of vitamins andminerals.Rawhoneyisexceptionallyeffectiveinternallyagainstbacteriaandparasites.Plus, rawhoneycontainsnaturalantibiotics,whichhelpkill microbes directly. Raw honey, when applied topically, speeds thehealing of tissues damaged by infection and/or trauma. It containsvitamins,minerals,andenzymes,aswellas sugars,allofwhichaid inthehealingofwounds.8

Rawhoneyisabout80caloriesperounceandhasaglycemicloadof

14. It has the same sweet flavor as its cooked counterpart.Unless youplan todehydrate itoruse it inablenderor foodprocessor, youmayneedtoplaceitinawarmlocationtosoftenitbeforeuse.YoucanbuyrawhoneyinhealthfoodstoresandontheWebforabout$12apound.

Maca

Macaisanoff-whitepowderthathasavaguelysweettastetoit.MacarootgrowsinthemountainsofPeru.Itisaradishlikerootvegetablethatis related to the potato family. Maca contains significant amounts ofamino acids, carbohydrates, minerals, including calcium, phosphorus,zinc,magnesium,andiron,andvitaminsB1,B2,B12,C,andE.Peruvianmaca also includes a number of glycosides (sugarmolecules that helpremovetoxicwastefromthebody).Officialnutritionaldataforcaloriesandglycemicloadformacaareunavailableatthistime.Macahasbeenclaimed to have significant immunoprotective properties and to aid inhormone function, among other benefits. It is commonly added tosmoothies and other drinks as a sweetener, but also for its nutritionalbenefits. Maca has a very distinctive flavor, so the best strategy is totaste-test the powder both plain and mixed into a small amount ofsmoothieorotherdrink todeterminewhether it is toyour liking.Youwillnotneedmuchpowdertoflavoryourdrink.Macacanbefoundinmosthealthfoodstoresandonlineforabout$18foraseven-ouncejar.

Mesquite

Raw mesquite is a tan-orange, sweet, and pungent-smelling powder.Mesquitebushesgrowpods.Mesquitepowder is thenground from themesquitepods.Mesquitepowderishighinprotein,calcium,magnesium,potassium, iron, and zinc. It has a sweet taste, similar to molasses.Official nutritional data for calories and exact glycemic load formesquite are unavailable at this time. Because its texture is similar tothatofmaca,youcanuseitinthesameway,indrinksandsmoothies.However,Ihaveaddedmesquitetobreads,crackers,andpies.Youwillfindmesquiteincludedinsomerawfoodrecipesaswell.Ithasadistincttasteandlikemaca,youshouldtestitbeforeyouuseitinarecipeora

drink.YoucanbuymesquitepowderontheWebforabout$10apound.

Stevia

The herb stevia has been used both nutritionally and medicinally forcenturies by the Guarani Indians of Paraguay. By the 1970s, Japanstarted using stevia commercially. Today the Japanese are the biggestusersoftheextract,whichhascaptured50percentofJapan’ssweetenerindustry. Today stevia is grown around the world from China, Japan,andotherAsiancountriestoSouthAmerica,Europe,India,theUkraine,andNorthAmerica.Stevia’smostobviousandnotablecharacteristicisitssweettaste.Itis

a great sweetener alternative because it does not raise blood sugarlevels. In fact, research has shown that concentrate of the leaf has aregulatingeffectonthepancreasandhelpsstabilizebloodsugarlevels.Stevia is useful to people with diabetes, hypoglycemia, and candidainfection.However,itdoeshaveanaftertastesimilartothatofartificialsweeteners,soyouwillneedtodoatastetestbeforeassumingthisisthesolutionforyou.Steviacanbefoundinfourforms.Thefreshleavesarethemostpure

form, but they are difficult to find. Dried leaves are used in brewingherbal teas and for making liquid extracts. The powder form is driedleavesgroundintoafinepowder.Itisusedinteasandcookingbutdoesnot dissolve well. The powder form is usually about 10 to 15 timessweeterthansugar.Stevia can also be found in liquid extract form. The extract is a

concentrated syrup derived from the dried leaves. Using the versionmadewithwaterandnotalcoholwillensureyouaregettingthepurestformof theplant.Liquid steviamadewithoutalcohol isdarkgreen incolor.Youcanbuystevia in itsdryor liquid forminmosthealth foodstoresandontheInternet.Becausesteviaisnotmass-producedlikethecommon sugar substitutes on themarket, youwill likely paymore forsteviathanEqualorSplenda.Forexample,youcanpurchaseSplendaorEqual on Amazon.com for about 2.5¢ to 3¢ per packet, whereas thesameamountofsteviaispricedatanaverageof7¢to8¢perpacket.

YacónSyrup

Yacón,whichisgrowninthePeruvianAndes, isasweettuberousrootvegetable that produces a rich, sweet, brown syrup. Because it has anegligible glycemic load, it has been used successfully in the diets ofindividualswithdiabetes.Yacónisnaturallylowincalories,containingabout 30 calories per tablespoon. Yacón is also believed to promotebeneficial bacteria in the colon. Research has proven that yacón isbeneficialforthosewithhypertension.Bythinningtheblood,yacóncanlower blood pressure by 5 to 10 percent. It can also lower cholesterolanddiscourageclotformation.9

Yacónishighinoligofructose,anaturallyoccurringsugar,whichthehuman body does notmetabolize, hence its potential use for diabeticsandinbody-weightcontrol.Yacónresemblesmaplesyrupinboth lookandtaste.Thecostisabout$11fora13-ouncebottle.Youwillprobablyuselessyacónthanagavetoobtainthesamelevelofsweetnessinyourfood.

CHAPTER7

Water

Is your drinking water dead or alive? There has been so muchresearchperformedondrinkingwaterinthepasttwodecadesthatitisworthreadingaboutthedistinctionbetweendeadandlivingwater.Oneway to ensure you get sufficient livingwater is to eat or drinkmanyfresh, uncooked, organic fruits and vegetables every day. Fruits andvegetables provide the purestwater because the plants, by using theirown distillation process, have done the filtering of thewater for you.Scientists and researchers have spent considerable time in the pastdecadedefininglivingwater,determininghowwecangetit,andlinkingitalltoquantumtheory.Twothingsdefinewater:structureandcontent.Therearetwotypesof

structure.Firstisthemolecularstructureofwater,whichweknowtobeH2O. The second is its physical or crystal structure.When it comes towater’s impact on your body, its crystal structure may be just asimportant as its molecular structure. Author and scientist Dr. MasaruEmotobeganstudyingthecrystalformationofwaterbyphotographingthe crystalsduring the freezingand thawing process.Dr. Emoto foundthatthecrystalswereneverexactlythesame,similartopatternsfoundinsnowflakes.Sometimesthewatercrystalswerealmostperfect,whileothers were deformed, and sometimes, no crystals formed at all. Apattern started to arise in his research, and Dr. Emoto found that“differentwater formeddifferentcrystals.”1He then found thatcertainthings, like adding chlorine to tap water, would destroy the naturalcrystalstructureofthewater.Dr.Emoto’sbookTheHiddenMessages inWater,which includes colorphotographsofwater crystals takenundercertainconditionsandincertainplaces,isworthalook!Youmayfindit

a challenge to believe some of Emoto’s claims. For example, hedocumentsthatwatercrystalsremainedperfectlyintactwhenexposedtokindwordslike loveandgratitudeandbecamedeformedwhenexposedtophraseslikeyoufoolandyoumakemesick.However,muchofEmoto’sresearchfindssupportinquantumtheory.What is in your drinking water? Research has been performed ondrinkingwaterthatcontainsadditivessuchasminerals,whichmaynotalwaysbebeneficial.SometimesadditivesdestroythenaturalpHofthewater.Moreimportantly,additiveslikefluoride,pollutants,oreventhedistillation process corrupt the natural crystal structure of water. Thebody is unable to process unstructured water as efficiently as it canprocess structured water. Scientists like Masara Emoto, FereydoonBatmanghelidj,BarbaraHendel,andPeterFerreiraconcurthatwhenyouchangethestructureofwater,itbringslittlebenefittothebody.GabrielCousens and other raw food leaders also subscribe to this belief. Thebeliefisanalogoustotheprincipleofrawfoodtheorythatsaysyoumusteatfoodinitsraw,uncookedstate.Cousenscorroboratesthisbystatingthatthemorestructuredyourdrinkingwater,theeasieritisforenzymestodigestandforvitaminsandmineralstobeassimilatedintoyourcells.2Additional studies found the intracellular water of cancer cells to bemuch less structured than that of normal, healthy cells.3 The morenaturalanduntouchedthesubstancesarethatweputintoourbody,themore benefits we receive. The reverse can also be hypothesized: themoreunnaturalandrefinedsubstancesweputintoourbody,themoreharmthatwillcometoit.Preservingthecrystalstructureofwaterraisestwoessentialquestions.Thefirstishowdowe,orcanwe,clearlyidentifywhattypesofactionsdestroythecrystalstructureofwater?Thesecondis,giventhedamagetoourearthover thepast fewcenturies,mostof itcausedbyhumans,howdoweevergetback toapurelynaturalwatersource?As it turnsout, the answer to both of these questions is not easy or simple.And,when it comes to the solution, everyone seems to have a differentversionofwhatweshoulddo.Let’sanalyzetheinformationandyoucandeterminethebestworkablesolutionforyou.Theinformationavailableaboutdrinkingwaterisabundantbutoftenmisleading.Weneedtobecognizantofmarketingploysandconflictsof

interestthatcaninfluencewritersandresearchers.Itriedinmyresearchto identifyconflictsof interest in informationaboutwater that seemedotherwisesound.IfIdididentifyapossibleconflict,Iincludeditintheanalysis if Iwasable tocorroborate the recommendationwithanothersource.In addition to content and structure, there are two additionalpropertiesofwaterthatwerementionedbymostresearchers:sourceandpHlevel.Purewater(ornaturalwaterwithoutadditives)hasapHvalueof 7.0, making it neutral—meaning that it does not produce acid oralkaline effects in the body when consumed.4 Although the preferredsource and pH level were not consistent among all writers, thesecategorieswerealwaysincludedinanalyses.Belowisadescriptionofthethreeprimarysourcesofwater—natural,tap,andbottled—aswellas the recommendations fromseveralexpertsregardingwhat, ifanything,youshoulddobeforedrinkingwater fromeachofthesesources.Therearevaryingviewpoints,butsomeargumentsarestrongerthanothers,asyouwillsee.Ihavebrokendownthedetailswithin thedifferentphilosophies into information thatwillbeeasy foryou toapply. Ihaveprovidedreferences foreachsectionso ifyouareinterestedininvestigatinganyoralloftheinformationfurther,youcandoso.

CarbonatedandDistilledWater

Neither carbonated water nor distilled water is addressed below.Carbonatedwater(waterwithbubbles)isexcludedbecauseeveryoneofthe physicians and scientists who addressed it agreed that carbondioxide in drinking water makes carbonic acid, and this makes ourbodies more acidic. Distilled water has virtually all of its impuritiesremoved by boiling the water and then condensing the steam into aclean container, leaving solid contaminants behind. Distilled water isexcluded because the experts agree that distilled water is dead,unstructuredwater. It is so foreign to thebody thatyouactuallygetatemporaryhighwhitebloodcellcountinresponsetodrinkingit.5

TapWater

Tapwaterinmanypartsoftheworldisunhealthyandinsomeplaces,undrinkable.Thereareafewexceptions.Forexample,inEmoto’sbookTheHiddenMessagesinWater,hestudiedthecrystalformationinthetapwater of cities throughout theworld likeTokyo, Paris, London,Rome,Sydney,Bangkok,andHongKong.Hefoundthatthewaterdidnotformcrystalsatall,meaningtherewasnostructuretothewater.However,inWashington, DC, and New York City, Emoto found the water formedperfect crystals.Hehypothesized that thismightbe the result of extraefforts taken in certain cities to protect the public water supply. Forexample,inNewYorkCity,specialcedartanksareusedtostorewater.According to Hendel and Ferreira, there are several reasons that

Americantapwater,ingeneral,isunhealthy.Theseincludethefactthatup to three hundred pesticides and fungicides pollute thewater. Also,thepressureinwaterpipesdestroysthestructureofthewater.The processing of choice for water, according to Hendel, Ferreira,

Cousens,andEmoto,isathree-stepprocessthatincludesreverseosmosis(RO),acarbonfilter,andrevitalizationbysoakingcrystalsinthewaterfor eight hours. The RO unit removes bacteria, viruses, nitrates,fluorides, sodium, chlorine, particulatematter, heavymetals, asbestos,organic chemicals, and dissolved minerals. The carbon filter removesorganicandinorganicchemicalsthattheROunitcannot.Thehexagonalstructure of the quartz crystalswill rearrange thewater to its originalstructure.Crystalshave theirownparticularvibrationofapreciseandmeasurable intensity. This vibration attunes itself to human vibrationbetter than any other gem or mineral. It can also attune itself to thevibrationofsubstances, likewater.Quartzcrystalsareusedtoamplify,clarify,andstoreenergy.Quartzhaslongbeenrecognizedforitsabilityto produce electrical impulses. Pressure on quartz crystals generates aminute electrical charge called piezoelectricity.6 These characteristicsareallinvolvedintheprocessofreorganizingwaterintoitsowncrystal-likestructure.Batmanghelidj, likeCousensandHendel, isamedicaldoctor,buthe

has a different approach to tap water. He believes that the mostimportant issue isdrinkingwater regardlessof itsmakeup. InhisbookWater: ForHealth, ForHealing, ForLife:You’reNotSick,You’reThirsty!,BatmanghelidjpresentssomegoodevidencethatmostAmericanssuffer

fromdehydration,andwecouldsignificantlydecreasehealthcarecostsif we all just drank more water, regardless of where it comes from.Batmanghelidjdoessuggest,ifyouhaveaconcernabouttoxins,toeitherallow your tap water to sit out for an hour (to allow chemicals likechlorinetoevaporate)oruseacarbonfilteronthetap.Dependingonwhereyoulive,yourchoicesforactionregardingyourtapwaterarevaried.InNewYorkCity,youcanchoosetojustdrinkthewater directly. Or you can take the laid-back Batmanghelidj approachandletyourwatersitoutforanhourbeforeyoudrinkit.Ontheotherendofthespectrum,youcanproactivelypurchaseareverseosmosisunitand a carbon filter and use crystals to revitalize the structure of thewater thatwas taken apart, at least partially, by the RO unit and thefilter.

NaturalWater

Thetwoprimarysourcesofnaturaldrinkingwaterarespringwaterandartesianwellwater.Springwatercomesfromanaturalspring.Itbubblesup to the surfaceandalong itspath, it canattract impurities from theground and the air. Once it reaches the surface, there is nothing toprotectitfrombeingexposedtobacterialgrowth,groundpollutants,orother contamination. In order to obtain the maximum benefit fromspring water you need to do two things: (1) allow it to matureundergroundcompletelysoitachievesitsfullstructureand(2)bottleitat the source so it is pure and not touched by surface pollutants orbacteria. This process has implications for everyday life. First,most ofthespringwater found insupermarkets is immaturebecauseofhumanintervention to bottle the water. Second, many of these waters areozonated (water that has had unstable oxygenmolecules added to it),which destroys the frequency pattern, and can be considered deadbecausethesewatershavelostmostoftheirstructure.7Third,inordertoobtain fullbenefit fromspringwater, it reallyneeds tobeavailable inyour local area in a place where you can go directly to fill up yourbottle. Most pure sources of water like that described by the waterexperts are likely bottled, mineralized, and distributed throughsupermarketsorconveniencestores.

Artesianwellwatermay be the bestwater for us because it is fullydeveloped and surfaces on its own without any human intervention.Artesian water comes from a source deep within the earth that isprotectedby a solid confining layermadeof stone and/or clay. In thecaseoftheartesianwaterfromislandslikeFiji,naturalartesianpressureforces the water through a completely sealed delivery system free ofhumancontact.Itisneverexposedtotheenvironment.AccordingtotheEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA), water from artesian aquifersoftenismorepurebecausetheconfininglayersofrockandclayhelptoprovide a protective shield from potential contamination. People whohave the good fortune to live near artesian wells may have the bestoptioninwater.Butwhatabouttherestofus?

BottledWater

Bottledwaterisprobablythemostcommonwaythatmostofusobtainour water today. The issues around bottled water are threefold. First,youneedtoconsiderthesource.Second,youneedtoconsideranyaddedcontent.Third,butperhapsmostimportantly,youneedtoconsidertheimpactofplasticbottlesonyourbodyandtheenvironment.Let’slookateachoftheseissuesindividually.Consider the source. Much bottled water today is simply purified tap

water. It is likely not purified using reverse osmosis, carbon filtering,and crystal revitalization. The least expensive form of filtering isprobably most common. And the end result may be nothing verydifferentfromyourowntapwater.Insomecases,thebottledwatermayactually be less healthy than your own tap water. Read the label todeterminethesource.Ifthelabeldoesnotsaysourceorspring,itislikelyfilteredtapwater.Oftenthelabeljustsaysdrinkingwater.Somemineralsmay be added during the process, but often our bodies are unable toprocessandusethesemineralsbecauseofthesizeandamountsused.Addedcontent.Ifyourbottledwaterisspringwateranditisbottledat

thesourcethereisstillachancethatitisimmatureandthestructureisnotcomplete,butthequalityofthewaterwillbesuperiortobottledtapwater.All of thewater experts,Cousens,Hendel, Ferreira, andEmoto,agreethatbottledwaterfromamaturespringorartesianwellisthebest

betforbothhealthystructureandcontent.OneofthebrandsmentionedbyHendel andFerreira is Fijiwater.With the exceptionof theplasticbottle(addressedbelow),becauseitcomesfromanaturalartesianwellon the nonindustrialized island of Fiji, Fiji water appears to be thesuperiorbottleddrinkingwater.Impact of plastic on the environment. The last topic to be addressed

regarding bottledwater is the bottle inwhich thewater is contained.Plastics can break down. Themolecules from the plastic seep into thewaterandcan impact thepurityandhealthfulnessof thewater.Whileclaimshavebeenmadeaboutthisanditseemstomakeperfectsense,nohardevidencehaseverbeenpresented.The reasons for thisareprettyobvious.Thesolutionwouldbetopurchaseonlywaterthatisbottledinglass, which can be cost prohibitive. The second issue regarding thebottle istheimpactontheenvironment. Ideally,wedonotwanttobebuyingandthrowingawayaplasticbottleeverytimeweneedadrinkofwater.Evenifthebottlesarerecyclable,theamountofenergyittakestorecycleandtheresultinglandfilloverflowareastounding.Theconsensusregardingbottledwaterseemstobe:(1)Don’tdrinkit

unless you have to. The problem is, unlesswe can obtain suitable tapwater,manyofusmayfeelwehavenootherchoice.(2)Ifyouhavetodrinkbottledwater,buy it inglassbottles, ifpossible. (3)Drinkwaterthat is labeledartesian or spring, bottled at the source. Finally, as notedabove,onlydrinkflatwater,notcarbonated.“Weshouldlookatwaterasourprimarymostimportantfoodsource

thatreplenishesusandnourishesuswithitsnecessarylivingenergyandinformation.”8

CHAPTER8

pHLevel

Didyouknow that in1931 Dr.OttoWarburg received theNobelPrizeforidentifyingacausallinkbetweensugarandcancerofalltypes?Althoughwecanonlyspeculatewhyhiswork,whichcontinueduntilthe1960s,hasnotbeensplashedacrosstheheadlinesofeverynationalandlocalnewspaper,wecan stillbenefit fromhis findingsbyapplying theprinciples in our own lives. Because sugar is a highly acidic food, Dr.Warburg’s findings, described in detail later in the chapter, haveeverythingtodowiththeacid-base(alkaline)balanceofthebody,alsoknownasourpHlevel.The termpH actuallymeans potential of hydrogen, or the number of

hydrogenionsinasubstance.Thelowerthenumber,themoreacidicthesubstance. The higher the number, themore alkaline the substance. ApH of 7 is neutral, neither acidic nor alkaline. In order to remainhealthy,thebodymustmaintainanoverallalkalinepHintherangeof7.36 to7.45.Abalanceddiet isgenerallycomposedofabout75 to80percentalkalinefoodsand20to25percentacidicfoods.Alkalinefoodsinclude fruits, vegetables, greens, and sea vegetables. Acidic foodsincludeall sweets,grains,meats, fish,eggs,milkproducts,animal fats,coffee,tea,unripefruits,andalcohol.1Acidicfoods, likesugar,containlittletonooxygen.The foodyou eat determines yourpH level.But the foodyourbody

needs and how your body processes the food are determined by youruniqueness, or your biochemical individuality (discussed in ChapterTwo). InhisbookConsciousEating, Gabriel Cousens describes differentconstitutional types. He describes how, depending on your dominant

constitutional(orbody)type,yourbodymayprocessacidandalkalinefoods differently. There are a series of questions that he has designedaround the constitutional types. Based on your responses, you candetermine your dominant type, and this should give you additionalinsightintohowyourbodyislikelytoprocessthefoodsyoueat.Similarto the concepts of biochemical individuality, what Cousens stresses isimportant:weareallunique,andwemustfirstunderstandthisandthenobserve and apply what we learn about ourselves and our nutritionalhabits.2

What we eat plays a critical role in the pH balance of our bodies.Renownednutritionists likePaavoAirolabelieve that excess acidity inour bodies is a basic cause of all disease. In addition to inflammatorydiseasesandinfections,apersonwithanacidicpHalsowillexperiencedulledmentality, slower thinking, headaches, anddepression.3Amoreacidic pH also causes irritability because of the loss of calcium,magnesium,andpotassiumfromthecells.Dr.SusanE.Browndoesanexcellent job of analogizing our treatment of the environment to ourtreatmentofourbodies.Shesays,“Justasourplanetisundergoingtheprocess of demineralization of its soils and waters due to the acidproducts of fossil fuel consumption, we are suffering thedemineralizationofourbodiesduetoouracidicdietarypractices.”4

Ifyouareinterestedinself-testingyoururineforpHlevels,pleaseseeeitherGabrielCousens’bookConsciousEatingorSusanBrown’sbookTheAcid-AlkalineFoodGuide.Bothdescribetheprocessfortestingyoururinein a reliable way. Your other option is to work directly with yourprimarycarephysician,whocanaddvalue in the interpretationof theresultsandcanconductteststhataremoredetailedandmorereliable.

pHandtheRawFoodLifestyle

WhilethesepHfactsareinteresting,youmaybewonderingwhatallofthis has todowith the rawor living food lifestyle. For one thing, themore acidic we get, the less life force energy we have in our bodies,becausewearetakinginlessoxygen.Inadditiontofoods,somestudieshave shown that fluorescent lighting, radiation fromcomputer screens,andwireless technologyalso compromiseour idealpHbalance. Inher

bookRawFoodLifeForceEnergy,NataliaRosemakesseveralsuggestionsregardinghowwecancombatactivitiesthatimbalanceourenergy.Sherecommends thatyou (1) spendasmuch timeoutdoors in sunshineaspossible,(2)breathedeeplytooxygenateyourenergylevels,(3)practiceyoga,dance,orgetamassage,and(4)keepnegativeemotionsincheck.5OnRose’slistofhighlyalkaline(goodforyou)intakeis:sunlight,freshmountainair, freshgreenvegetable juice, rawvegetables, and sprouts.Shealsorecommendstheuseofcolonics(addressedinChapterNineon“Healthy Conflict”), natural bristle body brushes on dry skin, infraredsaunas,andChimachines.ChiistheChinesewordthatrefersto lifeforceor lifeenergy.TheChimachineisasmallmachinethatyouplaceunderyourankleswhilelyingdown.Themachinevibratesandmovestotheleftandrightforfifteen-minute intervals. Themachines are supposed to oxygenate, strengthenthebodyandthemind,increasepositiveenergy,stimulatethelymphaticsystem, and balance chakras. A chakra is a spinning sphere ofbioenergeticactivity.Sixofthechakras,orenergycenters,arestackedinacolumnofenergythatspansfromtheheadtothebaseofthespine.RawfoodshaveanabilitytorestoreandmaintainthepHbalanceofourcells.Oneofthereasonsforthisissimplythatfood,initsuncookedstate, is less acidic. Some of the most famous raw and living foodexperts, among them Norman Walker and Ann Wigmore, advocatehighly alkaline diets. Dr. Walker’s daily diet consisted primarily ofvegetable juices, most of which were green. Dr. Wigmore’s primarysourceofnutritionwaswheatgrassjuice,ahighlyalkalinesubstance.Inadditiontofreshvegetables,sheatesproutsdaily,whicharealsoahighsourceofalkalinity.Dr.Wigmore’shealthinstitutescontinuetocarryouther work today bringing health through these same alkaline focusednutritional practices. In Victoria Boutenko’s book Green for Life, shemakes an excellent case for the value of the green smoothie. Drinkinggreens, even if theyaremixedwithbananasorother fruits, is anotherexample of raw food supporting a more alkaline balance. BrianClement’smenuattheHippocratesHealthInstituteinWestPalmBeach,Florida, is yet another exampleof the raw fooddiet, ahighly alkalinediet. Using fresh vegetable juices and primarily fresh vegetables, theinstitutehasbroughtmanycancervictimsfromastateofdiseasetoone

ofhealthfulness.

CancerandAcidity

In1931,OttoWarburgwontheNobelPrizewhenhedemonstratedthatcancer cells thrive in conditions that arewithout oxygen.Acidic foodscontain little to no oxygen. Warburg hypothesized that cancer was adefect in how a body breaks down glucose. In a 1966 speech to theNobellaureates,hesaid,“Theprimecauseofcanceristhereplacementoftherespirationofoxygen[oxidationofsugar]innormalbodycellsbyfermentation of sugar.”6 You can read Warburg’s Nobel Lecture,delivered on December 10, 1931, entitled “The Oxygen-TransferringFerment of Respiration” on the Nobel Prize Web site atwww.nobelprize.org. A very simplified application of Dr. Warburg’sprinciples foravoidingcancerwouldbe the following: (1)avoidacidic(lowoxygen)foods—or, inthealternative,eatmorealkalinefoods,(2)takeinplentyofoxygenandfresh,cleanair,and(3)donoteatsugaroranything containing sugar. Rose’s rules for keeping in balance areactuallyanupdatedversionofWarburg’s.So,almosteightyyearsafterhisNobelPrize,Warburg’ssuggestionshavestoodthetestoftime.AccordingtoWarburg,themostimportantoftheseisnoteatingsugar.

If,minimally,youcanstopeatingrefinedsugaroranythingcontainingrefinedsugar,itwouldbeastepintherightdirection.Dr.Warburgdidnotexperimentonnaturallyoccurringsweeteningsubstanceslikeagaveand yacón, so it is unclearwhether these foodswould have the sameimpactassugar.Althoughweallneedsomesweetnessinourdiets,itisprobablybesttokeepthesweetenerswithaglucosebase(likeagaveandyacón)toaminimum.Ontheotherhand,steviahasaneutralpHof7,soitmaybeasaferlong-termstrategy—ifyoulikethetaste.Evenifyouare not on a living and raw food path, all three of these practices—eating low acid foods, breathing a lot of fresh air, and consuming nosugar—shouldbecomepartofyourdailyhabits.

CookingandAcidity

Cookingfoodmakesitmoreacidic.Whenyoueatadietthatismadeup

ofrawfruits,vegetables,sproutednuts,seeds,andgrains,youwillbegintoshiftyourbalance toamorealkalinestate.7 In thebeginningof thechapter, we saw that the ideal diet is composed of 75 to 80 percentalkalinefoodsand20to25percentacidicfoods.Onewaytosuccessfullytranslatethisintoahealthyrawfooddietistointake75to80percentfreshvegetablesandfruits(withagoodamountofleafygreens,freshorjuiced)and20to25percentfromnuts,seeds,andgrains.Sproutingyournutswillmakethemlessacidicaswell.

CommonHighlyAlkalineandHighlyAcidicFoods

The following is a list of foods thatmost nutritional experts, whethertheyarerawfoodistsornot,agreearehighlyalkalineproducing.Therearemanyother foods that arealkalineproducingoverall.Theonesonthelistareonlythosefelttobemostalkalineproducing,sotheyproducethegreatestamountofvalueforyounutritionally.Youcanfindamorecomprehensive list of acid to alkaline foods in The Acid-Alkaline FoodGuide.Whileyoucancertainly(andshould)eatfoodsotherthanthese,any food on this listwill help in getting you back into balance if youhavebeeneatingtoomanyacidicfoods.Ingeneral,forthefoodsonthelist below, higher alkalinity will result if the foods are not cooked,though even cooked, all are considered to be excellent sources ofalkalinity.

Asparagus(maybethebestaccordingtomostexperts!)CeleryChestnutsCollardgreensDulseEndiveFigsGingerrootKaleKelp

Lemon(producesalkalinityeventhoughittastesacidic)Lime(sameaslemons)OnionsPumpkinseedsSeaweedSweetpotatoesWheatgrassjuiceYams

The following is a list of foods considered to be highly acidic. Ingeneral, theseshouldbeeateninverysmallquantities,andifpossible,avoidedaltogether.Note thatnoneof these foods is includedona raworlivingfooddiet.

BaconBeefCheeses,especiallyagedChocolatemilkCocoapowder(thisisnottherawcacaobeandiscussedinChapterFive)EggnoodlesEspressoFriedfoodsJamsandjelliesIcecreamIodizedtablesaltLobsterMacaroniandcheeseMilkchocolatePastamadewithwhiteflourPizza

RedwinevinegarRefinedsugarRefined white flour products of all types (bagels, biscuits,bread,donuts,pancakes)SalamiShellfishShrimpSodaSoybeans

What’sYourBestStrategy?

Whether youare reading this book tobecomea raw foodist or just tolearnmoreaboutthelivingfoodlifestyle,theinformationinthischaptermaypersuadeyou that eating fresh, raw, organic foodmaybe a goodidea after all. Part of your strategy could include thinking aboutwhatyouwilldowithalloftheextraenergyyouhaveonceyoustopeatingsugar and add greens to your daily intake. Andwhat about the extratimeyouwillhave?Becauseafterall,yourmealswillbequite simple,andyouwillonlyneedtoshopintheproduceaisleofthegrocerystore.

CHAPTER9

HealthyConflict

Differences of opinion that take the form of expressed, healthyconflict are good. When people who subscribe to the same overallphilosophydisagree,theconflictwillgenerallyleadtoarevalidationoftheoriginalpathorachange in thinkingat somepoint.Thenecessaryelements forapositiveoutcomeofhealthyconflict inanyorganizationoraroundanytheory,liketherawfoodtheory,arethefollowing:(1)theexistenceofleaders,(2)criticalthinkingabouttheissues,(3)formationof logical rationale for opinions, (4) ability to formulate an argumentandcommunicateit,and(5)feedbackonthecommunicationfromthosewho agree and those who disagree. From there the feedback loopcontinues,perhapsinperpetuitydependingontheissueandthepeopleinvolved in the conflict. As long as the conflict remains healthy(meaning it is absent of backstabbing, pettiness, gossip, and a lack ofcandorortruthfulness),itcanandshouldcontinueforaslongasittakestoreacharesolution.Thiscouldmeancenturies.Ittookphysicistsmorethan two hundred years to overturn many of the theories of RenéDescartesthatweembracedwithnoexception.

HealthyConflictintheRawandLivingFoodMovement

Thesectionsbelowprovideanoverviewofsomeofthedifferencesthatexistwithintherawandlivingfoodcommunities.Ifyouhaveaspecificinterestinatopic,IhaveprovidedsuggestedreadingsandWebsitesformost areas. Healthy conflicts not included here are the chocolate andsweetener controversies; they have their own chapters due to the sizeandcomplexityofthetopics.

RawversusLiving

The terms raw and living are often used interchangeably,when in factthey have different definitions. Within the raw and living foodmovement,certain individualssupporteatingallormostly livingfoodswhile others eat both living and raw foods in any proportion. Livingfoodsareoftwotypes.Thefirsttypeisalsotheideallivingfood,fresh,organicfruitsandvegetableseatenintheirnaturalstateasclosetothetimetheywerepickedorharvestedaspossible. Inadditiontothehighnutrient value of these living foods, they also supply enzymes to helpyourbodyindigestion.Youcandehydratethesefoodsuptoabout110°Fwithoutkillingtheenzymes,butaswewillseebelow,somecontroversyexistsaroundthisclaim.The second class of living foods, which should more accurately becalledresurrected foods, are sprouted foods. These are seeds, nuts, andbeans that have been harvested from the ground or from trees.Whenstill in their natural state they are considered raw, but not living,becausetheyarenotproducingenzymes.Tobeconsidered living, thesefoodsneedtoproduceenzymes.Wecancreate thisactivitybysoakingthe food overnight (or longer) until the seeds, nuts, or beans begingeneratingasmallsprout.Soakingcausestheseedstoswellandsoftensthehulltoallowthesprouttogrowoutoftheseed.Thesproutingactiontells us that the food is nowproducing enzymes, so it is technically aliving food again. We can benefit from these enzymes for about threedaysbeforetheybeginbreakingdown.Raw food is actually a much broader category of food than livingfoods.Rawfoodsencompassalllivingfoodsplusanyfoodinitsnatural,uncooked state.All uncooked fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, andbeansanduncookednaturalproductsofthesefoodsareconsideredrawfoods.Theycontinuetoberawaslongastheyarenotheatedabove110°F.Anuncooked,organic,freshappleisbothalivingandarawfood.Arawalmond,however,isarawfood.Itisnotalivingfood.Ifyousoakthealmondovernightuntil itbeginstosprouta littletailatthepointyend,ittransformsitselfintoalivingfood.Miraclesdohappen.Thesamegoesforanyseedsornuts.Alentilbeanisarawfood,butitisnotlivingunlessyousoakitandsproutit,atwhichtimeitbecomesalivingfood.

A raw lentil beandoes not havemuchnutritional valuebecause of itstexture.Itisimpossibletoeatlentilbeanswithouttheirbeingsprouted(orcooked,ofcourse).Unheatedagave,whichisthenectarfromtheagaveplant(acactuslikeplant),isconsideredrawbecauseitisthenaturalby-productofaplant.However, it is not considered livingbecause it does not contain livingenzymes. And, by definition, natural by-products of plants are notconsidered livingfoods.Thisalso includessubstances likeyacónsyrup,rawcacaobeans,nibs,orpowder,carobpowder,oranyotherfoodthatisnatural,raw,andwithoutlivingenzymesbuzzingaroundinsideofit.

JuicesversusSmoothies

Thedifferencebetweenajuiceandasmoothiemayseemsubtle,butitisactually quite substantial. Juices result when the liquids are extractedfrom fresh fruits and vegetables using a juicemachine. In essence,weare separating the fiber from the liquid and drinking only the liquid.Juicing of green plants in particular allows us to take optimumadvantageofphotosynthesis.Weallremember(moreorless)fromgradeschoolsciencethatphotosynthesisoccurswhengreenplantsuseenergyfrom the sun to transform water, carbon dioxide, and minerals intooxygen and organic compounds. It is one example of how people andplantsaredependentoneachotherinsustaininglife.Thegreenpigmentchlorophyll isuniquelycapableofconvertingtheactiveenergyof lightintoa latent formthatcanbe stored (in food)andusedwhenneeded.Photosynthesisprovidesuswithmostoftheoxygenweneedinordertobreathe.1Whenwe juice, all of thenutrients from theplant remain intheliquid.It’slikedrinkingonlythenutritionalessenceofthevegetableor fruit. As a result, we get optimum nutritional benefit with littleimpositiononourdigestivesystem.Smoothies are created by blending together whole fruits andvegetablesintoathickbutdrinkableconcoction.Smoothiesretainallofthe fiberand the liquid.Our digestive systemneeds to domorework,butsomearguethatthefiberprovidesourstomachwiththeabilitytobeefficient by producing adequate hydrochloric acid to allow us tomaintain our acid-alkaline balance. Most smoothies contain greens.

Manysmoothiescontainbothgreensandfruits,likebananas.Whilethefruit makes the smoothie overall more palatable, some argue that itviolates the food-combining principles, which state that you shouldnever combine fruits and vegetables. Proponents on both sides of thecoincouldgoonforeverinthejuiceversussmoothiedebate.Mostrawfoodies feel stronglyonewayor theother.But, it’s alsookay todrinksmoothies some days and juices on others. It really depends on yourtaste buds and how your body reacts to the drinks. If you are juststarting to drink smoothies as part of your daily regimen, allow yourbodyandyourdigestivesystematleastseventotendaystoadjusttothenew experience before coming to any conclusions about whethersmoothiesorjuicesworkbetterforyou.

Salt

Thefirstquestionaboutsaltiswhethertouseitatallinyourfood.Andifyouranswertothisisyes,thenthesecondquestioniswhattypeofsalttouse. First, let’s address the issueofwhether touse salt ornot.RawfoodleaderslikeBrianClementandtheHippocratesHealthInstitutefeelstronglythatsaltshouldnotbeusedinthelivingfoodlifestyle.Theydonotbelieveitislivinganditdoesnotaddnutritionalvalue.Ifyoutakethis logictoitsmainstreamconclusion,saltcanactuallyharmyou.Wehavehad thehealthdangersof saltdrilled intoourheads fordecades,including hypertension, heart disease, and stroke. More importantly,whenitcomestoNaCl(thechemicalformulaforsalt),itisanissuethatyouneedtodetermineforyourself—again,applyyourownbiochemicalindividuality.Formostofthepasttwentyyears,includingmyrecentpastasaraw

foodie,Ididnotusesaltonmyfood.ThenIwenttotheTreeofLifefora conscious eating food-preparation course. The classes on how toprepare fooddidnotbeginuntil later in theweek.But itdidn’tmatterbecausewewerekeptbusywithlecturesfromGabrielCousens,lecturesfromhis colleagues,andof course,great livingand raw foodpreparedbytheapprenticesandchefsattheTreeofLife.Bythesecondday,Iwassoswollen, Icouldnotwearmyweddingringandcouldbarelytiemysneakers!FirstIthoughtitwasjetlagsettinginbecauseIwasnotused

to traveling at the time.But by the thirdday,when the classes beganandIsawtheamountofsaltusedintherecipes,itwascrystalclearwhatwascausingmyswelling.First,theinstructorsdemonstratedthecorrectpreparation of raw vegetables. The first step in this process wasmassagingthevegetableswithHimalayansalt.Itwasamazingtowatchthe color of the green vegetables transform to amuch brighter color.And,as the instructorsexplained tous, the salthelped toopenup theouterlayerofcells,orcellulose,tomakethevegetableseasierforustodigest.TheuseofsaltasanessentialingredientbytheTreeofLifefoodpreparerswas stressed throughout the program. I do not believe therewasonedish—evendessert—thatwasmadewithout some salt. Imustadmit that the food at the Tree of Life was some of the best I havetasted,raworotherwise.Giventhestrictprinciplesoffoodpreparationallofthestafffollow,Iamsureit isalsosomeofthemostnutritiousIhaveeverhadaswell.Forthelargemajorityofthepopulation,theuseof salt would not create an issue. Here is a great example of goodintention,goodnutrition,andgoodtastebangingupagainstabodythatwassayingdon’tdo this tome.Now, is itpossible that I couldcreateatoleranceformoresaltinmydailydiet?Isupposeso.Butrightnow,thisisnotanoptionIamwillingtoentertain.Theargumentsinfavoroftheuseofsaltinyourdietincludethefactthatsalthelpstocleanthebodyofwastesandenhancesourappetites.2If you have decided that salt will be part of your diet, you need todetermine what type to use. Even if you only use salt sparingly, youshouldstillusethetypethatisbest.Regulartablesaltisnotanoptionbecause it is reorganized and stripped of much of its trace mineralcontent.Thesaltoptionsfortherawfoodistinclude:seasalt,Himalayanpinksalt,Celticseasalt.Seasalthasretaineditsminerals.Plainseasaltis not recommended by most because it often has the same issues astable salt. So the remainingoptions areCeltic sea salt, a salt speciallyharvested off the coast of France to ensure all trace minerals aremaintained,orHimalayanpink salt,mined from themountains,and itsupposedlyhasarichermineralcontent.Italsohasamildertastethanmost other salts. You can purchase either salt online from reputablesourcesandmaywanttotryoutbothtosee ifeitherworksforyou. Ifyouareasalter,switchingtoCelticorHimalayanwillprovideyouwith

greaterbenefitsthantableorregularseasalt.

Fasting(Cleansing)

As far as raw and living foodies go, fasting iswhere it’s at—everyoneagreesonthat.Youfastasacure.Youfasttocleanseyourbody.Youfastfornutritionalreasons.Youfasttorepentwhenevenyourrawfooddiethasbeen tooacidic.You fast for spiritual reasons.You fast to increaseyourself-discipline.Youfasttoachievementalclarity.Yougettheidea,right?Fastingiswhereit’sat.So the issue is notwhether to fast; the issues are how long the fast

shouldbeandwhetheryoushouldbetakingmorethanwaterintoyourbody during the fast. Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s book, Fasting and Eating forHealth, is agreatoverviewof themedically supervised fastingprocess.Hehasbeenaseriousfasterandhasfastedonnothingbutwaterhimselffor over a month, with phenomenal health benefits. Using his ownexperiences andhisUniversity of Pennsylvaniamedical degree, hehasdedicated himself tomaking Americamore healthy through nutrition.YoucanreadhisbookorvisithisWebsiteformoredetails.InadditiontoDr.Fuhrman,otherswhopreachthebenefitsoffasting

include Dr. Gabriel Cousens, Norman Walker, Ann Wigmore, BrianClement and the Hippocrates Health Institute, Natalia Rose, BrendaCobb,SusanSchenk,andJamethandKimSheridan.Somebelieve thatwater fasting for at least sevendays andup to twenty-onedays is theonlywaytoobtainbenefitfromfasting.Othersbelievethatashortfastof only two to three days provides some benefits. Depending on yourbody size, after either twodays (for smallerbodies)or threedays (forlargerbodies)offasting,yourbodywillneedtogetitsnutritionfromitsowncells.FastingspecialistslikeFuhrmanandCousensbelievethatitisatthispointthatthebodybeginstoshedoldandsickcells.Thisislikelythegreatesthealthbenefitthatfastingbringsus.Thelongestfastsrecordedhavebeenfortydays.Mostofthosewereby

serious fasters whowere subsisting onwater alone. Because fasting isusuallya fasting fromfood, the issue isgenerallywhat liquids,besideswater, should be taken during the fast? Some believe lemon water,othersaddgreen juices, someuseanyvegetable juices,andstillothers

useany fruitorvegetable juice.There isalsoagingerrootcleanse,anoliveoilcleanse,andamaplesyrupcleanse.Thelistgoeson.Thebestresources for understanding the nature of fasting and cleansing areGabrielCousens’booksConsciousEatingandSpiritualNutritionifyouarereadytogotherawandlivingroute.Foramoreconventionalapproachto fasting, read Joel Fuhrman’s books or visit his Web site,www.drfuhrman.com.

TemperatureLevelsforDehydratingRawFoods

Rawfoodleadersappeartodisagree,atthemostbyarangeofabout12degrees, on the maximum temperature at which to dehydrate foods.There is published documentation that 100°F is the maximumtemperaturetoheatfoodtoensureenzymeslive. Ihavealsoseen105,108,110,and112asthedocumentedmaximum.Iusuallyusethe100°Fto105°Frange,justtobesafe.OneotherrecenttheorythatIheardaboutatGabrielCousens’Treeof

Liferetreatwasthat,toavoidfermentation,alldehydratedfoodsshouldbedehydratedforthefirsthouratabout135°Fto140°F.Then,turnthedehydratordowntoabout110°F.WhenIdidthis,myfoodcookedveryquicklyandbecameoverlydry, so if youchoose toabideby this rule,youwill need to experiment with the levels and amount of time thatworks.Settingtheinitialtemperatureupto140°Fsignificantlycutdownontheoverallcookingtimeformyfood,bymorethanhalf.It is also important to note that althoughdehydrationmaintains the

food in its essentially live state, there is about a 25 percent loss ofenergyindehydratedfoodoverall.Dehydrationdoesallowyoutostorefood for months at a time without losing overall nutritional value.Knowing the tradeoffs, though, youmaywant to decrease the overallpercentageofyourdiet thatcomes fromdehydrated food—ifyouwereonthispathtobeginwith.

Colonics

Colonics involve a cleansing of the colon of all wastematerials. Theyhavebeenusedforyearsforbothhealthandbeautypurposes.Mostraw

foodistsbelievethatcolonicsareanimportantpartof theoverallbodycleansing process that goes along with eating raw food and fasting.Thereareafewwhobelievethatthedietandfastingmakeyourbodysoefficientthatcolonicsarenotnecessary.YoucanfindinformationaboutcolonicsinNataliaRose’sbooksTheRawFoodDetoxDietandRawFoodLifeForceEnergy.Again,youwillneedtodetermine foryourself ifyouwant to incorporate colonics into your regimen. The E3Live companyprovidesanexcellentstep-by-stepdescriptionoftheproceduresandthesuppliesneeded in their four-page laminatedpermachartentitled“RawFoods Vegetarianism: Detoxification.” It is easy to read, detailed, andhighly reliable.You canpurchase thepermachart on theirWeb site atwww.E3live.comoratwww.permacharts.com.

GarlicandOnions

Raw foodistswho oppose the use of garlic and onions (aswell as anyotherspicyfoods)dosoforoneoftworeasons.First,theybelievethatthefoodhasadisruptiveeffectonthedigestivesystemandcounteractstheefficiencieswearetryingtoinstillthrougharawandlivingdietandlifestyle.Second,theybelievethatthesetypesoffoodsdonotallowthemindtobestillandthereforeinterferewithmeditationandmindfulnesspractices.Thosewhodoeatthesetypesoffoods,andtherearemany,dosobecausetheylikethetaste,andsomebelievethefoodshavehealthymedicinalqualities.

CHAPTER10

Supplements

If you want to make your head spin, do some research todeterminewhichsupplementsyouneed,ifany.Mostpeoplewalkawayfrom a well-intentioned Internet encounter to hunt down the list ofdietary supplements they need with a high level of frustration. Moreoftenthannot,theymayleavetheirsearchwitheitheramultivitaminornothingbecauseit’sjusttoodifficulttodeterminewhatsupplementswillbenefit them. The raw and living food movement gives a whole newmeaning to supplements, often also referred to as raw superfoods.Althoughitstillmaybeadensewalkthroughthechoicesforyou,thereis good news. Many raw supplements or superfoods are foodsthemselves, not just the concentrated vitamins, minerals, and herbalsupplementsweareused to seeing inour localhealth foodstore.Asaresult,youcanincorporatethesupplementsinyourdailymealplanningso itdoesnot seemlikesomethingextrayouaredoing.Theadditionalgood-for-younutrientscanbecomepartofyourroutine.Thechoicescanbeagonizing,butaftermuchresearchmyself,Imade

some decisions onmy own supplements. Itmay be helpful for you tounderstand the groundwork I did and the choices I made. Rememberthateveryoneisuniqueandwhatworksforonepersonmaynotworkforanother.Expecttorevampyoursupplementregimenatleastonceeverytwelve to eighteenmonths. If you don’t change the contents, you canstop certain supplements for a period, perhaps when fasting, just toprovide a jump start to your metabolism when you begin again. Youmayfindthatyourbodygetsboredwiththesameexactinputweekafterweekandmonthaftermonth,sosomedegreeofchangemayworkbetterforyou.

My background research on supplements included some discussionswith local raw food store owners and reading recommended books.GabrielCousens’booksandNataliaRose’sbooksaddresssupplementsina helpful way. After making a preliminary list of the possiblesupplements I wanted to use, I attended a few lectures. The first waswithDavidWolfe,anutritionistandrawentrepreneur,whohashisownlistofrawsuperfoods.Then,IattendedseverallecturesgivenbyGabrielCousensattheTreeofLiferetreatwherehediscussedsupplementsandrespondedtomanyquestions.Mypared-downlistofsupplementstodaylooks like this: three green supplements, spirulina, Pure Synergy, andE3LiveBlue-GreenAlgae flakes. I also takeNanoB (all liveB complexvitamins) each day. In the winter, I take an organic vitamin DsupplementandliquidvitaminC.IamcurrentlyreassessingthevalueofbeepollenandwhetherIcanobtainveryfreshbeepollenwhereIlive.IfIcan, Iwillprobably includebeepolleninmyregimen.Thebeautyofthis process is that as long as I plan appropriately, it’s not like I amtaking supplements at all.Most of these supplements are powdered orliquid,soIincludethemasingredientsinmymorningjuice,freshsaladdressing,ornutcheeseswhenImakethem.Ihavecategorizedthegroupsofsupplementsmostcommonlyusedbyraw foodists into green supplements, bee products,minerals/vitamins/enzymes,andothersuperfoods.While theycanonlyhelpyounutritionally,dependingonyourcurrentdiet,theymaynotbeall youneed to optimize your health.Most of the supplements can bepurchased throughvarious Internetvendors. If thereare limitationsonwhereandhowcertainsupplementscanbepurchased,Ihavenotedthatintherelevantsection.Ifyouarenotalreadyonanutritionallysoundpath,youmaywanttohaveafull(holistic)analysisofyourbloodperformedtodeterminewhatdeficiencies youhave. The type of analysis youneed ismore than thetypicalcompletebloodcount (CBC) thatmostphysiciansorder, soyoumay need to visit with a physician who takes a holistic approach tohealth care or, if you are in one of the fifteen states that currentlylicensesnaturopathicdoctors,visitwithoneofthem.

GreenSupplements

Greensupplementsaregenerallyconcentratedversionsofthegreenandsea vegetables that are responsible for keeping our pH slightly on thealkalineside,as itneeds tobe forgoodhealth. Ifyoucanchooseonlyone supplement or set of supplements, it should be green. I listmanychoicesbelow.

Blue-GreenAlgae: Also known as E3Live algae or crystalmanna, thissupplement is harvested from Klamath Lake in Oregon. It is high inprotein, chlorophyll, and vitamins, and it enhances both the immunesystem and brain function as it is naturally high in neurotransmitters.TheE3Livecompany,whichharvests thealgae fromKlamathLakeandsells it, describes how the algae specifically strengthens thehypothalamus, the master gland of the endocrine system, as well aspituitaryfunction.1

Chlorella: Chlorella is a high-protein algae with about 5 grams ofprotein in one teaspoon. It also contains high amounts of magnesiumand the superdetoxifier chlorophyll.2 It contains two to five times theamountofchlorophyllasspirulina.Chlorellaisthebestalgaeforpullingheavymetalsoutofthesystem.

Spirulina:Spirulinaisacompleteproteinandisabout60to65percentamino acids. It also contains B vitamins, minerals, chlorophyll, andphytonutrients.Spirulinacontainsoneofthehighestsourcesofgamma-linolenicacid(GLA)—anessentialfattyacid(EFA)intheomega-6familythat is foundprimarily inplant-basedoils.GabrielCousensclaims thatonlymother’smilk is higher inGLA, so he recommends that lactatingmothersuseincreasedamountsofthesupplement.

Pure Synergy: Pure Synergy is a powder compound of organicvegetables, fruits, andherbs. It contains sixty-twodifferent ingredientsincluding spirulina, Klamath Lake algae, chlorella, salina, kelp, Irishmoss,dulse,wheatgrass,andChineserejuvenationherbs.Italsocontainsseveralmedicinalmushrooms.Dr.Cousens recommends thisasagreat

supplementtotakewhentravelingorcamping.

Sea Vegetables (Kelp, Dulse, Nori): All sea vegetables are high inprotein, amino acids, andmany B vitamins. Kelp in particular is veryhighiniodine,whichissupportiveforthethyroid.Eatingseavegetablesonadailybasis,insaladsorjustplain,isagoodidea.Youcanpurchasedriedseavegetablesfrommosthealthfoodstores.Asanadditionalwayof getting exposure to the values of sea vegetables, and kelp inparticular,IusekelpsoapmanufacturedbytheE3Livecompany.Ithasanexcellentexfoliatingqualitytoitandbyremovingdeadskincells,ithelpsoxidizethebodywhileyoushower.

Phytoplankton: Plankton are any drifting organisms that inhabit thedeep sea. Phytoplankton are the component of plankton that producesorganic substances from inorganicmolecules and the sun—also knownas photosynthesis. Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton areresponsible for 50 percent of the oxygen present in the earth’satmosphere. As a supplement, phytoplankton is bottled in a way thatpreservesthemarinephytoplanktoninsuspendedanimation,protectingtheoriginal lifeenergy.Thehighchlorophyllcontentofphytoplanktonalso increases oxygen uptake. One droplet is sufficient to get youthroughthedayandjustthatonedroplettastesliketheoceanfloor.

BeeProducts

Bee products have already been addressed in Chapter Six, “RawSweeteners.”There, Idescribedbothrawhoneyandbeepollen.Inthischapter, Iwill not spend a lot of time describing them again butwillconcentrateinsteadonthebenefitsofbeeproductstoyourhealth.

RawHoney: Although not a vegan food, even DavidWolfe describesrawhoney in the followingmanner: “Honey, in its organic,wild, raw,unfiltered state is rich in minerals, antioxidants, probiotics, enzymes,andisoneofthehighestvibrationfoodsontheplanet.”3

BeePollen: Bee pollen is said to be themost complete food found innature. Beepollenhelps to support the immune systemand is high invitaminsA,B,C,andE,minerals,proteins,aminoacids,hormones,andenzymes. Bee pollen has also been shown to have a protective effectagainst radiation.Gram for gram, pollen contains an estimated five toseven timesmore protein thanmeat, eggs, or cheese. In addition, theproteininpollenis inapredigestedformandiseasytoassimilateintothedigestivesystem.4

Vitamins/Minerals/Enzymes

Crystal Energy: Crystal Energy, a detoxifier, is a patented form ofminerals, rich in silica. Themanufacturer of the substance claims thatCrystal Energy helps remove heavy metals from the body. They alsostatethatitchallengesthesymptomsofdehydrationandminimizestheprocessofaging.GabrielCousens includesCrystalEnergyonhis listofsupplementstotakewhenyouwillbetravelingbyplane.Hebelievesithelpskeepthebodyinbalanceincompressedairplanecabinsaswellashelpsfightofftheeffectsofjetlag.YoucanreadmoreaboutthedetailsofhowCrystalEnergywasdevelopedbyPatrickFlanaganonhisWebsite,www.wetterwater.net.

MSM:InTheMiracleofMSM:TheNaturalSolutionforPain, theauthorsDr.StanleyW.Jacob,Dr.RonaldM.Lawrence,andMartinZuckerclaimMSM relieves back pain, headaches, muscle pain, arthritis, allergies,fibromyalgia, and more. MSM is a sulfur-based, naturally occurringcompoundwithitsrootsinoceanicphytoplankton.Theclosestchemicalrelative toMSM is dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO).MSM is available as acapsuleorcrystaltobetakenorally.Inaddition,itisavailableincreamor lotion.Although I donot takeMSMas a supplement, I use organicMSM-basedshampoo,conditioner,andfacewash.

NanoBComplex:Thisisaliquidthatcontainsliving,notsynthetic,Bvitamins to support the liver, immune system, heart, brain, andmoodbalance.ThesubstancecontainsvitaminsB1,B2,B3,B5,B6,andB12,folic

acid,para-aminobenzoicacid(PABA),andbiotin.Thisproduct ismadeby Premier Research Labs. Individuals on a vegetarian or vegan dietcannot obtain their B vitamins from food sources since they occur inmeats or animal-based foods. Although the body has some ability tomanufacturevitaminB12andotherBvitaminsnaturally,noteveryone’sbodycanassimilatetheseBvitaminswell(Ihappentobeoneofthem),sotheNanoBcomplexcanhelpgiveveganstheadvantagetheyneedinthisarea.ThisiswhyIincorporateitintomyregimen.

D3: Vitamin D is best obtained directly from sunshine. However, incertainclimatesduringthewintermonths,thisisnotpossible.AVitaminDsupplementmaybenecessaryduring those times.Anatural,organic(nonsynthetic) version of vitaminD is the best.Dr.Michael F.Holick,professor ofmedicine, physiology, andbiophysics at BostonUniversityMedical Center and author of The UV Advantage: The MedicalBreakthrough That Shows How to Harness the Power of the Sun for YourHealth, recommends at least 1,000 IU of vitamin D daily. HerecommendsthebestwaytoobtainvitaminDduringwintermonthsorcloudy times is by getting exposure at a tanning salon that uses low-pressurelamps.Thespecificrequestforlow-pressurelampsisimportant.Dr.Holickclaimsthatyouneedonlyabout25percent1MED(minimalerythemal dose) exposure in a tanning booth to obtain 1,000 IU ofvitaminD.Hedefines1MEDastheamountoftimeitwouldtakeyoutoget pink in the sun. So, if it takes you thirty minutes to get pink onaveragewhenyouareinthesun,andyouneed25percentofthattimeinatanningboothtogetyourdailyrequirementofvitaminD,youwillspendsevenandahalfminutesadayinatanningbooth.5

NCD(alsocalledZeolite):NCDstandsforNaturalCellularDefense.Itisan energy substancemade from a compound that pulls out pesticides,radiation,metals,andotherchemicalsfromthebody.IthasbeenshowntohaveaprotectiveeffectagainstdiseaseslikehepatitisC.Zeolitesareextractedfromnaturalvolcanicrocks.Theyhaveacrystallineshapelikea honeycomb that helps trap and remove the heavy toxins andmetalsfromthecells inyourbody inasafe,naturalway. It isoneof the few

minerals that is negatively charged. As a result, zeolite apparentlyattracts and draws the harmful metals and toxins in your body to it,capturesthem,andhelpsyourbodyremovethem.

VitalzymX:VitalzymXhelpsboostenzymeproductionandisgoodforinflammation and injury. It boosts the immune system and has ananticancer effect. Vitalzym X is a blend of enzymes and nutrientsformulated for optimal energy. It contains these enzymes to aid indigestion:proteinase,bromelain,serrapeptase,amylase,andlipase.Thesupplement helpsmaintain normal enzyme levels and it helps balanceyourbody’sownrepairmechanisms.Thereisalesspowerfulversionofthe supplement called simply Vitalzym. Vitalzym can be purchaseddirectlyover the Internet.However,VitalzymX requiresaprescriptionfromyourhealthcareproviderduetoitspotency.

OtherSuperfoods

Camu-Camu:Camu-Camu(Myrciariadubia)isabushnativetotheSouthAmericanrainforest.ItishigherinmineralsthananyotherAmazonianplant.Afreshberry,itcontainsthirtytosixtytimesmorevitaminCthanan orange. The powder is typically found in vitamin C supplementcapsules. The Camu-Camu berry is a source of phosphorus, calcium,potassium, iron,and theaminoacids serine,valine,and leucine.Smallamounts of the B vitamins thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin are alsopresent.

Maca:MacawasalsoaddressedinChapterSix,“RawSweeteners.”Theorganicmaca root has been used in Peru since before the time of theancientIncas.Themacaplantissimilartoaradishorturnipanditcanhavedifferenthuesofcoloronitsskinincludingred,purple,yellow,orcreamandblack.Macaisaprotein-richfood.Italsohaseighteenaminoacids,vitamins (A,B1-thiamine,B2-riboflavin,B3, niacin, B6, B12, C, E,andcarotene),andmineralsthatincludecalcium,phosphorus,iron,zinc,magnesium, copper, sodium, potassium, selenium, boron, manganese,andaluminum.

Probiotics: Probiotics are dietary supplements containing beneficialbacteria.AccordingtotheWorldHealthOrganization,probioticsarelivemicroorganisms thatwhen administered in adequate amounts confer ahealthbenefitonthehost.6Probioticsgrownaturallyinfermentedfoodslikesauerkrautandkimchi.Claimsaremadethatprobioticsstrengthentheimmunesystemtocombatallergies,excessivealcoholintake,stress,exposure to toxic substances, and other diseases. Powdered probioticslabeledas anaturalwhole food,with no additives or flavoring, are thebesttouse.Youcansimplysprinklealittlepowderintoadrinkorrecipeonceadayorafewtimesaweektoreceiveabenefit.Youcanpurchaseprobiotics in the refrigerated supplement section of Whole Foods andmosthealthfoodstores.

Conclusion

Thischapterisnotmeanttobeacompletelistingofsupplements—rawor non-raw. Rather, it is a compilation of those supplementsrecommendedbyatleastthreeoftherawfoodleaders.Itisbesttotryonesupplementatatimetodetermineifitisbeneficialtoyou.Thismaytakeweeksbeforeyouhaveenoughdatatodeterminewhetheryoufeelbetter or are more energetic or efficient as a result of a supplement.After youhavedetermined theusefulness of the first supplement, it isbesttoaddsupplementsoneatatime.

CHAPTER11

BasicRawFoodPreparation101

Thischapteristotherawfoodistasboilingwateristoachefwhopreparescookedfood.It’sabasicintroductiontothetools,thesupplies,and the mind-set you need to prepare raw foods. There are manyexcellent raw food preparation guides or un-cookbooks that have beenpublished. I refer you to these books in Appendix One with a list ofresources I have personally purchased, read, and used. The authors ofmany of these books, like Jennifer Cornbleet, Matt Amsden, JeremySafron, Renée Loux Underkoffler, Terces Engelhart, the Jubbs, AlissaCohen, and Sarma Melngailis, have included additional details aboutsupplies and methods that you will find helpful. In keeping with thetheme of this book, it is my intent to provide you with good, solid,reliable introductory information toeveryaspectof the rawand livingfoodphilosophy.You can research the parts you findmore interestingand,mostimportantly,decideforyourselfwhichoftheconcepts,ifany,youwanttoincorporateintoyourownlife.

YourMind-set

The first thing you need to understand about raw food preparation isthat it canbeas simpleoras complexasyouwant it tobe.Each rawfood chef has her own approach to the foodpreparation process. RawchefslikeSarmaMelngailisandRenéeLouxUnderkoffler,bothwhoownorhaveownedrawrestaurants, takeamorehautecuisineapproachtotheircraft.Theirfoodisgreat,butyouwillneedtoplanaheadinbothtime and specific purchases if you are going to tackle a few of theirrecipes. Folks on the other end of the spectrum include Jennifer

Cornbleet, whose book Raw Food Made Easy is both simple andwholesome, as well as Carol Alt, a new raw food convert. Alt’sconversionandreal-worldneedtomakethelifestyleworkforhercausedher to find someof the best and easiest recipes. Finally, there are therawchefswhofallinthemiddle.Theytendtodrawfromboththehautecuisinestyleaswellastheeating-over-the-countercrew.TheserawchefsincludeMattAmsdenandhisRAWvolution:GourmetLivingCuisinebook,Jeremy Safron and his Raw Truth book, and Lori Baird and JulieRodwell’sTheCompleteBookofRawFood.MostofthesefolkshaveWebsiteswhere you can test out some of their recipes. Youwon’t need topurchaseeverybook,althoughonceyouhavedecidedonyourfavoriterawchef,youwillprobablywanttoinvestinthechef’sun-cookbook.Aftertestingsomebooksandrecipesandbecomingmorefamiliarwithandconfidentinyourfoodpreparationskills,youmaywanttodevelopyour own style. Because raw food preparation is this seemingly newconcept,manyofusfeellikeweneedabookorrecipetotellushowtodoeverything.Infact,theoppositeistrue.Thinkaboutyourcurrentorpre-rawdays.Didyouneedsomeonetotellyouhowtomakeagrilledcheesesandwichorgrillahamburger?Onceyoufeelathomewithalloftherawfoodmaterials,youshouldbeabletocreatethemajorityofyourmealsonyourown.IliketouseMattAmsden’srawmashedpotatoesasan example. The concept of using raw macadamia nuts, freshcauliflower, garlic, and olive oil to create a raw version of mashedpotatoes astonished me. But I tasted them and they were delicious! Ifollowed the raw mashed potato recipe from the RAWvolution booktwice. Eventually, I made some modifications in the recipe. Some ofthemwereterrible,butyouneedtobewillingtotakethatrisktomakerawfoodpreparationyourown.WhileIusuallyusetheoriginalrecipe,Isometimes use almond milk or avocado oil for a softer flavor. Thepossibilitiesareendless.

FeelingatEasewithYourFoodPreparationResponsibilities

Ihavealwaysbeenprettyskilledateatingfood.Butthepreparationpartwasawholedifferentstoryforme.Iconsidermyselftobearecoveringperfectionist,butfordecadesthetaskofpreparingamealordessertwas

quitedauntingtome.WhatifIdidnothavejusttherightingredients?What if I measured something wrong? What if the oven heatedunevenly?Andmoreimportantly,whatifthemealwasaflop?MytriptotheTreeofLifeConsciousEatingprogramchangedallofthat.Duringoneofthefoodpreparationclasses,Iaskedaquestionaboutexactlyhowmanycupsofsproutedalmondsshouldbeusedinmakingfreshalmondmilk.TheanswerIreceivedwasnotwhatIexpectedtohear.The instructor saida fewthings.First,hesaid,youneed toconsiderwhatyouwillbeusingyouralmondmilkfor—drinking,cereal,mashedpotatoes(theyuseadifferentrecipethanMattAmsden),icecream,etc.Basedontheuse,youmaywantyourmilktobeofacertainconsistency—thickandcreamyforicecream,thinfordrinkingorcereal.Thentheinstructorsaid,“Icangiveyougeneralguidelines,butyoureallyneedtofigure out what works best for you.” Then he talked about certainproportionsofnutstowaterthatcouldbeused,butstressedthattherewere no hard and fast rules. Third, and most important, as you aremaking themilk, test very small quantities throughout the process soyou can modify your ingredients if necessary. I still wanted to knowwhere exactly I would find the information to tell me when amodificationwasnecessary.Astheweekcametoanend,Ididbecomemorecomfortablewithalloftheseinstructions.Rawfoodpreparationisnotcomplicated.Infact,mostof it isaboutsimpleactivitiesthatcomenaturally to all of us: cleaning and cutting vegetables and herbs;combining lettucesandpumpkinor sunflower seeds tomakea saladacompletefood;andblendingcarrots,avocado,andsweetpotatoesforaheartysoup.Mostoftheotheractivities,savethecleavingoftheyoungThai coconut, we can learn easily. These include how to operate ablender, food processor, or dehydrator. Making and eating the mostnutritious food possible should create a pretty positive experience foryou.

ComingtoTermswiththeYoungThaiCoconut

The young Thai coconut is a paradoxical, blissful food. By blissful, Imeanitbringsblisstoallwhoeatit,especiallythecoconutpulpandthefood in which the pulp is an ingredient, such as raw ice cream, raw

whippedcream,andcoconutnoodles.Byparadoxical,Imeanthatwhileit is the primary ingredient in some of the most indulgent and best-tastingfoods,raworotherwise,itisalsothemostdifficulttoobtain(inits natural state) and the most difficult to deconstruct for cookingpurposes. Some of themany divine foods I have tasted that aremadewithyoungThaicoconutpulpastheprimaryingredientincluderawicecream,pumpkinpie,rawwhippedcream,andrawnoodles.Manyoftherawfoodpreparationbooksdescribetheprocessofopeningandcleaningout the coconut. Sarma’s book Raw Food/Real World provides adescriptionandsomeaccompanyingpictures.WhileattheTreeofLife,Ihadtheopportunitytoobservesomefood

apprenticespreparingtheirgraduationmealforthefollowingday.ItwaseveningandbesidesmeandoneotherInternetuser,theyweretheonlyonesinthecafé(theonlylocationattheTreewhereyoucanpickupanInternetsignal).WhileIworked,Iwatchedthesethreenewbierawchefscleave,open,andcleanaboutseventyyoungThaicoconuts thatwouldbeusedasthebasefortomorrow’slunchdessert—rawvanillaicecream.Theprocess took two strongyoungmenand twobig scary cleavers toopen the coconuts and one female chef to scoop out the pulp. It tookfour hours and three people to partially prepare ice cream for aboutfortypeople.Theeconomicsofthatjustdon’tcompute.However,theicecream was phenomenal and put a major positive spin on everyone’smind-setthenextday.Sotheoutcomewasasuccess.

GivingThanksandTakingTimewhileYouEat

Eatingoverthecounter,andsometimesevenoverthesink,hasbeenafairly common habit in my house over the past two decades. Thispracticeistheresultofconflictingschedules,fastfood,doingmoreandmore (forwhat?), andprobably justplainoldhabit. Lately,my familyand I have been using the table to sit down and eat, andwe hope tocontinuethispractice.MostrawfoodprogramsIhaveattendedincludeashortprayerorstatementofthanksfortheabundancebeforethemeal.It doesn’t take a lot of time, and it does not need to be religious, butgiving thanksand taking time toeathelpyou tobemoreconscious inyour approach to your food and eating. This consciousness begins to

naturallyflowintootherareasaswell.

EatingMindfully:ReallyTastingtheFoodandExperiencingEating

Beingmindful is the natural consequence of being conscious. In someways,youcanseemindfulnessas thenext stepafteryouhavebecomeconscious of your food preparation and eating habits. Jon Kabat-Zinnfrom the University of Massachusetts Medical School founded thehospital’sCenterforMindfulnessinMedicine,HealthCare,andSociety.Hehaswrittennumerousbookson the topicofmindfulness, includingWhereverYouGo,ThereYouAre;FullCatastropheLiving;andMindfulnessMeditation. In his books, Jon Kabat-Zinn describes one of the firstactivitiesincludedinhismindfulnessandstress-reductionworkshop.Participants are asked to eat one raisinmindfully. This process takesthegroupabouteightminutes.Yes,eightminutestoeatoneraisin!Theyexaminetheraisinfirst,anddescribehowitlooksandfeels.Theysmellit.Theyareawareofeverymovementastheyputitfromtheirhandintotheir mouth and begin to chew. They count the number of chews (apractice also common in themacrobiotic diet). One of the interestingthingsthatDr.Kabat-Zinndoesisaskhowthisactivitydiffersfromwhatthesefolkswouldnormallydowithraisins.Thegroupusuallyrespondsbycuppingoneoftheirhandsandexplainingthatordinarilytheywouldhavescoopedandshovedahandfulofraisinsintotheirmouths.Beforethey even swallowed the raisins, they would have another handfulready.Dr.Kabat-Zinnthenasks(rhetorically)“What’sgoingonhere?”It’s easy to appreciate a raw foodmeal formany reasons. First, it ishealthful. Second, it benefits many others by using organically grownand, hopefully, locally grown foods. And third, it is colorful andbeautiful.Most raw foodmealscontain shadesofbrightgreen,yellow,red,andorange.Thiscanmakeanyonesmile.AndjustthinkaboutwhatthismeallookslikecomparedtoamealofFrenchfriesandahamburgerfrom a fast-food drive-through. But herein lies the issue. In order toappreciate the differences, you must first think about it. This may besomethingyouchoosetodo,ornot.

YourTools

Mostrawfoodrecipebookscontainacompletelistingofallofthetoolsyouneedtostartyourrawkitchen.Withtheexceptionofajuicer,youmay already have many or most of these tools. I recommend RawFood/RealWorldandTheCompleteBookofRawFood.Bothofthesebookshavepictures,whichmakes iteasier the first timearound.BelowisanoverviewofthetoolsyouwillneedandsomehelpfulhintsIhavepickedup along the way. Formore complete information on raw food tools,please reference one of the books I have noted or their Web sites.AppendixTwoincludesalistofallofthegood,reliableWebsitesIusetoobtainrawfoodsupplies,tools,clothing,andsnacks.Smalltools.Yourprimarysmalltoolswillbeyourknives.Youneeda

few different kinds because youwill be cutting and chopping a lot ofstuff.First,ifyoucansplurgeonaknife,Irecommendaceramicknife.Theyarehighlybreakableandcannotbeused tocuthardveggies likebeetsandcarrots.Buttheyaregreatforallgreenvegetables,mostfruits,and all fresh herbs. The ceramic is particularly important becausestainlesssteelormetalcanoxidizevegetables,andceramicwillnotdothis.IfyouwillbeworkingwiththeyoungThaicoconuts,youwillneedastrongcleaver(andstrongarms).Othersmalltoolsyoumayneedarebowlsand storagebins foryourdehydrated foodsand for storingyournutsandseeds.Large tools or small machines. Tools in this category include a spiral

slicer (used to slice zucchini touseas spaghetti, abig raw favorite), amandolin (used to slice zucchini and other squash for use as flatnoodles),acoffeegrinder(tochopflaxandotherseeds),and,ifyouareplanning tomake any fermented foods—all ofwhich are very high inprobiotics—like kimchi or raw sauerkraut, you will need a ceramicfermentationpot.Machines. Youwill need a good high-speed blender (I recommend a

Vita-Mixblender—it is so strong, it canblendawoodenbrick),a foodprocessor, a juicer (I use a Champion), and one ormore dehydrators,depending on howmany people you are feeding. The Excalibur is thebestdehydratortouseforrawfoodcooking.Dehydratorsaresoldbythenumber of trays contained in the dehydrator box. You can purchase afour-,six-,nine-,orevenatwelve-traydehydrator.Thetraysarestackedfairly close together in the dehydrator box, so if you are planning to

dehydrate thicker foods like vegetable patties, biscotti, or even rawbread,youwillonlybeabletouseeveryothertrayinthedehydrator.Ifyoubuyasix-traydehydrator,youmayonlyhavethreetraysavailablefor use. Formore detail, please see Appendix Two for a list of onlinestoresthatsellallrawfoodsupplies.Therawfoodun-cookbooksincludehelpful resource information also. These machines can be quiteexpensive,soyoumaydecidetopurchaseajuicerorablender,butnotbothinitially.

YourRawFoodSupplies

Inadditiontofreshvegetablesandfruits,youwillneedcertainrawfoodsuppliestogetstartedwiththerawfoodpreparationprocess.Keyamongthesearenutsandseeds.Forthosetransitioningfromanon-rawtoarawdiet,nutsandseedsplayanimportantpart inprovidingprotein.Whengroundanddehydrated, theycanalsobeusedasmeat (in the formofveggiepatties)orbread(intheformofbiscottiorflatbreads)substitutes.Particularly in the coldmonths, nuts and seeds provide a fullness thatyoudon’tgetfromfruitsandvegetables.Youcanbuyorganicnutsfromyour localWhole Foods store. If you are looking tobuynuts in largerquantities with wholesale discounts, visit www.sunorganicfarm.com.Theycarryallnuts,herbs,seeds,andothersupplies.Becausetheycarrybothrawandnon-rawfoods,youwillneedtomakesureyouselecttherawversionoftheproductyouareordering.Thetypeofnutsandseedsyoubuydependsonyourtastepreferences.Iusuallykeepalmondsandmacadamia nuts (forme) and cashews (formy husband) at all times.Good choices in seeds include: sunflower seeds (you can use them inmanyofthesauceandseed-cheeserecipesandyoucansprinklethemonsalads), golden flaxseeds (a great source of omegas, you just need tomake sure you grind them before eating; the body cannot processflaxseed whole), black sesame seeds (I often add them to vegetablerecipes), and chia seeds (they are full of nutrients and make a greattapioca-like pudding when mixed with almond milk and stevia oragave).The last category is herbs. You can and should use asmany and as

muchfreshherbsaspossible.Notonlydotheytastegreat,theyarealso

highlynutritiouswhen theyare freshasopposed todry.Youwill alsoneedtouseabouttentimesmorefreshherbsthanifyouwereusingthedried version.My favorite is fresh cilantro. It is loadedwith vitaminsandisagreatbrain-supportherb.Ihavespokentopeoplewithmultiplesclerosiswhoswearthatdrinkingfreshcilantrojuicehasimprovedtheirsymptoms tremendously. Onewoman at Arnold’sWay,who treats herMS with fresh cilantro juice, was able to go from a wheelchair to awalker.Shecreditsthecilantro.

THElifestyle

CHAPTER12

HealthandHealthCareintheRawandLivingFoodLifestyle

A natural by-product of the raw and living food lifestyle isincreased health. This translates to decreased sickness, which in turntranslates todecreasedmedical andhealth care intervention.Althoughwe all know that eating food that is good for us will result in betterhealth outcomes, we still seem to need more evidence or some othermotivationtotakeaction.Thismind-setmayhavesomethingtodowiththeinstantorquickresultswearepromisedbymorethanonehundreddietsonthemarkettoday.Eatingwellandpracticingabalancedlifestyle,like that supported by the raw and living food movement, do notproduce resultsovernight. It takes some time. It takes somediscipline.Mostly, it takes the guts to do the thing that is right for you and forthoseyoulove.Itmeanswehavetoignore80percentoftheaislesinthegrocery store, drive by every fast-food restaurant we see, and if wechoosethepath,eatourfoodinitsfresh,natural,uncookedstate.Manypeopleintheirlaststagesofcancerturntorawfoodasacure.

TheHippocratesHealthInstituteandtheAnnWigmoreFoundation,bothfounded by Ann Wigmore, were created to use fresh foods in theirnatural, uncooked (living) state as a way of rebuilding health—physically,mentally, andemotionally.1 These organizations, aswell astheir spawn, attract tens of thousands of people per year from aroundthe world, most coming to heal themselves of a long-term, chronicconditionoranewlydiagnosedacuteconditionsuchascancer.Thetotalnumber of individuals that these organizations have helped in thedecadessincetheiroriginalfoundingisimpossibletostateforsure.Butwhatwedoknowisthattherehavebeenmanydocumentedcases.Even

Brenda Cobb, who runs the relatively new Living Foods Institute inAtlanta, Georgia, has amassed more than forty testimonials fromstudentswhohaveattendedher livingand raw foodworkshops in thepast year. One student calls the experience transformative regeneration.Allexperiencedsomeimprovementintheirhealthasaresultoflearningtopreparerawfoodsandthenincorporatingthemintotheirdiets.Perhapsevenmorecuriousisthatthesetreatmentsarenotpaidforbyhealthinsurance.Thelivingfoodlifestyle,asoriginallyproposedbyAnnWigmore and Norman Walker, is premised upon each of us takingpersonal responsibility for our own health and health care. The casestudies of organizations likeHippocrates and theWigmore Foundationareexamplesofindividualswhohavetakenchargeoftheirownhealthcare.LikeWigmoreandWalker,weallneedtofeelandbelievethatwearepersonallyresponsible forourhealthandthatourdecisions impacttheoutcomesweget.Whilethereisnotaspecifichealthcareprogramfortherawandlivingfood lifestyle, the following are consistent with the lifestyle. Takentogether, one might hypothesize that these four criteria represent thehealthprinciplesoftherawandlivingphilosophy.

1. Focusonpreventionandhealing.2. Takeanaturalapproach.3. Identify the cause of any symptom or problem and work toeliminateit.

4. Usenutritionalsolutionswheneverpossible.

Inthischapter,wediscusssomeoftherootsandcontributionsoftherawandlivingfoodlifestyleanditshealthphilosophy.Wewillalsolookatindividualswhohavemadesignificantcontributionstoadvancingtherawand living food lifestyleby reachingout topeoplewhoarenewlydiagnosedwithanacuteillnessorwhoaresufferingfromsomechronichealth issue. We’ll look first at the individual physicians andorganizations that have used raw foods to heal. Thenwewill look athealth care practices that are consistent with the raw and living foodlifestyle, and finally, we will profile organizations’ successes withhealingthroughrawfood.Wheretheseorganizationshavebeenwilling

tosharetheirdataontheirimpactonothers’health,wewillsharethatdatawithyouaswell.

PhysiciansandCliniciansWhoSettheStageforaRawLifestyleSystemofHealing

ThereisagroupofclinicalpioneerswhomIconsidertobeapartofthenutrition-based health care movement. The commonality among thesepioneersistheirbeliefthatthereisadirect,causallinkbetweendietandhealth.OttoWarburg,MaxGerson, andAnnWigmore all started theircareerswithafocusonhowtousediettocurecancer.Mostmembersofthegroupextendedthecausaldietarylinktoincludeothermaladies.Allalsobelievedthat,oncediagnosed,thebodymustbedetoxifiedandtheneasedbackintoadietconsistingofonlyfreshvegetablejuicesandfresh,uncooked food in its natural state. Todaywewould add the adjectiveorganic, but formost of these pioneers, the issueswe face todaywithchemicalsandpesticideswerenotconcernsforthem.Eachoneofthesenutritionalhealthcarepioneerscreatedsignificant,reliable documentation about their work and any studies theyconducted. Most of this documentation was in the form of books ormanuscripts thathavebeenpublishedsincetheirdeath.Someof them,like Otto Warburg, who won the Nobel Prize, were acknowledgedworldwidefortheiraccomplishments.Others,likeMaxGerson,justkeptpluggingalongwithpatientsuccessaftersuccess,documentingthecasesand his methods along the way. Today we are fortunate to havephysicianslikeGabrielCousens,educatedinmainstreamAmericaaswellasthroughlegitimateholisticandspiritualinstitutions,leadingthewaytohelpdefinehealthcareprinciplesoftherawandlivingfoodlifestyle.Dr.Cousenshasdocumentedallofhistheoriesincomprehensivebooks.Mostrecently,hehasconductedanexperiment,usingscientificmethods,toshowtheimpactoftherawandlivingdietonpatientswithdiabetes.ThepreliminaryresultsofthisstudyarepublishedinhisbookThereIsaCureforDiabetes:TheTreeofLife21-Day+Program.

OttoWarburg,MD,PhD(1883–1970)

AsdescribedinChapterEight,“pHLevel,”OttoWarburgwontheNobelPrizein1931forhisfindingsthatcancercellsthriveinoxygen-deprivedconditions, orwhen the body is acidic. Cancer, he said, is a defect inhow a body breaks down glucose. He also said, “The prime cause ofcancer is the replacement of the respiration of oxygen [oxidation ofsugar]innormalbodycellsbyfermentationofsugar.”2Untilthe1960s,Warburgwasstilllecturingontherelationshipbetweendietandcancer.The components of his theory on cancer are: (1) avoid acidic (lowoxygen)foods—or,inthealternative,eatmorealkalinefoods,(2)takeinplentyofoxygenandfresh,cleanair,and(3)don’teatsugaroranythingcontainingsugar.The Nobel awards committee expected the world to benefit from

Warburg’s vital discoveries about cancer. However, cancer was noteradicated. Some say that Warburg’s big mistake was describing thepreventionofcancerintoosimpleaformat.Ratherthandescribinghisworkona theoretical level,Warburgdescribed theexact conditions inthe cells that set up and cause cancer. By sharing the practicalapplication,Warburgmade itpossible forothers todevelop functional,practical ways to inhibit the development of cancer. Many raw andliving foodorganizations, suchas theHippocratesHealth Institute andthe Ann Wigmore Foundation, have done just this. Despite opinionsdisputingthevalidityofWarburg’swork,noonehaseverdisprovedthevalidity,correctness,orapplicabilityofhisdiscoveries.BrianPeskin’sresearch,publishedin2007,wasbaseduponWarburg’s

principles,revivingtheimportanceofWarburg’swork.ThroughPeskin’swork,theworkofrawandlivinghealthprogramsliketheHippocratesHealth Institute, and the recent publication of The Hidden Story ofCancer,abookbasedonWarburg’sfindings,perhapsalargersegmentofthepopulationwillatlastbenefitfromWarburg’saward-winningwork.

MaxGerson,MD(1881–1959)

RightaroundthetimethatOttoWarburgwasreceivingtheNobelPrizefor his discoveries linking diet to cancer, Max Gerson, also fromGermany,was linking diet tomigraines and tuberculosis.MaxGerson,whohimselfsufferedfromseveremigraines,discoveredthatachangein

diet prevented the onset of these crippling headaches. He beganseriouslypursuingdietasawaytohealdiseasewhenheplacedoneofhis patients on the migraine diet and the patient was cured of skintuberculosis.Histherapybecamewellknownasacurefortuberculosis.He also successfully treated Albert Schweitzer’s adult onset diabetesthrough diet. In 1938, Gerson immigrated to the United States andtreatedhundredsofcancerpatientswhohadbeengivenuptodieafterallconventionaltreatmentshadfailed.In1958,baseduponthirtyyearsof experiments, Dr. Gerson published his theory, treatment plan, andcasestudiesinhisbook,stillavailabletoday,ACancerTherapy:Resultsof50 Cases. Gerson treated all of his patients using the following fourprinciples:

1. Diethasaconsiderableeffectonalmostalldiseases.2. Thehumanbodycanhealitselfifgiventheappropriatenutrients.3. Any effective treatments for degenerative disease must treat thewholeperson.

4. Peoplewithseriousillnessesmusthelptheirbodydetoxify.

Althoughhedoesnotuse the term rawdiet,Dr.Gerson’scancerdietincludes the following components: (1) fresh fruit andvegetable juicesalldaylong(herecommendsusingtheChampionjuicer),(2)thedietisfruitandvegetablebased,withcookingonlyoververylowheatwithoutusing water (when cooked at all), and (3) apples should be eaten ineveryform—raw,cooked,grated,juiced,etc.In2007,Gerson’sdaughter,CharlotteGerson,publishedHealingtheGersonWay:DefeatingCancerandOther Chronic Diseases. The Gerson approach is a holistic one thatconsiders the impact of stress, the body-mind connection, and theenvironment on our health. One chapter in Gerson’s book, entitled“Happy Foods,” includes foods from the vegetable kingdom, and states,“Besidesbeinglighter,morepureandeasiertodigestandabsorb,eachonecontainsasubtlemixtureofvitamins,enzymes,mineralsandtraceelements,whichworkinsynergyandsupplythedepletedorganismwithvaluablenutrients.”3

AnnWigmore,ND,DD(1909–1994)

Dr. Wigmore is the pioneer of a raw diet based on wheatgrass andsprouts that tookhold in the1960s and continues to this day throughthree different institutes, in New Mexico, Florida, and Puerto Rico,despite her death in 1994. Wigmore’s philosophy of health care isapparent in the title of one of her books,BeYourOwnDoctor. In thisbook,sheincludesalistingoftwenty-onetestimonialsfrompatientswhowerehealedusingthenaturaldiet-basedmethodsthatshesupports.Theconditions that these patients suffered from include arthritis, asthma,constipation,diabetes,emphysema,leukemia,andParkinson’sdisease.Wigmore’s focus is on becoming self-sufficient and not being

dependent on others for health treatment or foods. She instructs thereaderinmethodsabouthowtogrowandprepareone’sownfood.Shealsoprovidesopinionsonactivities inaddition todiet.Theseactivitiesinclude interacting with the environment, keeping a good posture,engaging in regular exercise, relaxing, and sleeping well. She alsobelieves that we can obtain significant benefit from massages,acupuncture,music,meditation,andsolitude.Herinsightsarehelpfulingivingaholistic,balancedperspectiveabouthealthcare.

NormanWalker,ND(1886–1985)

Dr.Walker’sapproachtohealthcarewasalsodiet-basedwithafocusonjuicing,aprocessthatheinvented.Hisbook,TheNaturalWaytoVibrantHealth, isanexcellentresource,as itwalkstheaveragepersonthroughthe basics of human anatomy and physiology. An individual with noscientificbackgroundcanbenefitfromthebasicinformationheincludesinthebook.Walkertakesaholisticapproachbyincludingachapteronmentalhealth. In thebook,he summarizes theDr.Walkerprogramasfollowingthesesevenprinciples:4

1. Drinkrawvegetablesandfruitjuices.2. Keepthecolonclean.3. Drinkpurewater.4. Exerciseregularly.5. Eliminateunhealthyproducts(alcohol,tobacco,etc.).

6. Controlyourweight.7. Takecareofyourspiritualandemotionalhealth.

GabrielCousens,MD,DD,MD(H)

OfallofDr.Cousens’nutrition-basedhealthcarecontributions,hisbookThere Is a Cure for Diabetes is themost notable. In this book, Cousensfollows the casesof elevenpatientswithdiabeteswhowereplacedontheTree of Life diet. Patient data regarding initial, ending, and point-drop fasting blood sugars were collected and analyzed. The overallhypothesis of the study was whether there is a positive relationshipbetweentheTreeofLifedietandtheamountofinsulinthepatientsneedtotake.Inotherwords,didinsulinrequirementsdecreaseasaresultofthediet?Everypatienthadalowerendingfastingbloodsugarthanthebeginning fastingbloodsugar.Allpatients showedsome improvementsandallhadsomedecreaseintheirinsulinintake.Althoughthenumberof patients in the study is insufficient to support a scientifically validconclusion, it does provide a sound start for data collection on thissubject. Dr. Cousens continues to work with patients through hisprogram at the Tree of Life Rejuvenation Center. It is very likely Dr.Cousenswillbethefirstclinician-scientisttoobtainwidespreadsupportforadiet-basedtherapytotreatachroniccondition.

T.ColinCampbell,PhD

Although Dr. Campbell is not a raw food practitioner, he is a vegan.Most importantly,hehas ledthefirststudyusingscientificmethodstoshowa relationshipbetweendietandhealth.Using initialdata fromacancerstudyconductedinChinainthe1970s(atthetimePremierChouEn-lai was dying of cancer), Campbell and his team conducted acomprehensivestudyoftherelationshipbetweendietandcancer.Morethan6,500adultswereenrolledinthestudy,andtestswereconductedon thembeforeandafter theyate.WhenDr.Campbell’s team finishedanalyzing the data, they had more than eight thousand statisticallysignificantassociationsbetweenlifestyle,diet,anddisease.Areadoftheentire book,TheChina Study, is necessary to get a feel for the report.

However,thereareeightprinciplesoffoodandhealththatcameoutofthestudy.Theyare:

1. Nutrition represents the combined activities of countless foodsubstances.Thewholeisgreaterthanthesumofitsparts.

2. Vitaminsupplementsarenotapanaceaforgoodhealth.3. Therearevirtuallynonutrients inanimal-basedfoodsthatarenotbetterprovidedbyplants.

4. Genesdonotdeterminediseaseontheirown.Genes functiononlybybeingactivated,orexpressed,andnutritionplaysacriticalroleindeterminingwhichgenes,goodandbad,areexpressed.

5. Nutrition can substantially control the adverse effects of noxiouschemicals.

6. Thesamenutritionthatpreventsdiseaseinitsearlystagescanalsohaltorreversediseaseinitslaterstages.

7. Nutritionthatistrulybeneficialforonechronicdiseasewillsupporthealthacrosstheboard.

8. Goodnutritioncreateshealthinallareasofourexistence.Allpartsareinterconnected.5

ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine(CAM)

Complementary and alternativemedicine (CAM) is a group of diversemedical and health care systems that are not presently consideredconventional medicine in the United States. The National Center forComplementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is the federalgovernment’sleadagencyforscientificresearchonCAM.Theirmissionis to explore complementary and alternative healing practices in thecontext of rigorous science, train CAM researchers, and disseminateauthoritativeinformationtothepublicandprofessionals.NCCAM’sWebsite(www.nccam.nih.gov)containsmanyextensiveresourcesifyouareinterestedinexploringCAMfurther.Ayurvedic(I-er-VAY-dik)medicine,aCAMthathas its roots in IndiaandHinduism,ismorethantwothousandyearsold.Ayurvedicmedicineprinciples are consistent with the raw and living foods approach to

healing and health care.Whereas it is common for us in theWest towant to categorize and separate things into neat packages, Easternmedicine (whichpredominatesmuchofCAM) ismore about free flowand balance. The names given to various healing techniques do notpreclude thembeingusedwithhealing techniques that are grouped inanothercategory.

AyurvedicMedicine

Ayurvedicmedicineintegratesthebody,mind,andspirittopreventandtreat disease and to promotewellness and is one of theworld’s oldestmedicalsystems.6InAyurvedicphilosophy,people,theirhealth,andtheuniverseareallthoughttoberelated.Healthproblemscanresultwhentheserelationshipsareoutofbalance.ThegoalofAyurvedicmedicineisto cleanse the body of substances that can cause disease and toreestablishharmonyandbalance.AccordingtoaNCCAMsurvey,about751,000people in theUnitedStateshavetriedAyurveda,and154,000peoplehaduseditwithinthetwelvemonthsprecedingthesurvey.Ideasaboutrelationshipsamongpeople,theirhealth,andtheuniverseform the basis for how Ayurvedic practitioners think about problemsthataffecthealth.Ayurvedaholdsthat:Allthingsintheuniverse(bothliving andnonliving) are joined together. Everyhumanbeing containselementsthatcanbefoundintheuniverse.Allpeopleareborninastateofbalancewithinthemselvesandinrelationtotheuniverse.Thisstateof balance is disrupted by the processes of life. Disruptions can bephysical,emotional,spiritual,oracombination.Imbalancesweakenthebodyandmakethepersonsusceptibletodisease.Healthwillbegoodifone’s interaction with the immediate environment is effective andwholesome.Similartoquantumtheory,Ayurvedamedicinebelievesthatdiseaseariseswhenapersonisoutofharmonywiththeuniverse.

FoodPrinciplesFood is a common theme throughout Ayurvedic medicine. All food isdivided into six types so that balance canbeused in foodpreparationandeatingbyusing foods from thedifferent categories.Ayurvedaalso

categorizeseveryone intoadosha,orpersonalityandbody type.Basedonyourdosha (addressedbelow), certain foodsaremorebalancing foryouthanothers.Thesixcategoriesoffoodinclude:

1. Salty(celery,seavegetables,olives,adzukimiso)2. Acid(kimchi,fermentedfoods,grapefruit,tomatoes)3. Fat(avocados,coconut,nuts,seeds,oils)4. Sweet(stevia,fruit,beets,carrots,squash,mesquite,carob)5. Spicy(peppers,tamari,garlic,onion)6. Bitter(cacao,turmeric,dandelion)

DoshasThree qualities called doshas form important characteristics of theindividual’s constitution and body type. Practitioners of Ayurveda callthedoshasbytheiroriginalSanskritnames:vata,pitta,andkapha.Eachdoshaismadeupofoneortwoofthefivebasicelements:space,air,fire,water, and earth. Each dosha has a particular relationship to bodyfunctionsandcanbeupset fordifferentreasons.Apersonhasherownbalance of the three doshas, although one dosha usually is prominent.Doshasareconstantlybeingformedandre-formedbyfood,activity,andbodily processes. If you are interested in determining your dominantdosha, John Douillard provides an excellent and simple body typequestionnaireinhisbookThe3-SeasonDiet:EattheWayNatureIntended.

Thevatadoshaisacombinationoftheelementsspaceandair.Itisconsidered themostpowerfuldoshabecause it controlsbasicbodyprocessessuchascelldivision, theheart,breathing,andthemind.Vata can be thrown out of balance by staying up late at night oreatingbeforethepreviousmealisdigested.Peoplewithvataastheirmain dosha are thought to be especially susceptible to skin,neurological,andmentaldiseases.Douillardrefers to thisdosha aswintertype—atypewhohasanaversiontocoldweatherandlight,has a thinner build, and has tendencies toward dry skin, worry,constipation,andinterruptedsleep.7

Examplesoffoodsthataremorelikelytobalancethevatadosha

include dried fruits, apples, cranberries, pears, broccoli, cabbage,cauliflower, onions, peppers, barley, buckwheat, millet, and oats.Examples of foods that may create imbalance in the vata doshaincludeavocado,bananas,melons,pineapple,carrots,greenbeans,radishes,rice,wheat,mostmeats,andseafood.Thepittadosharepresentstheelementsfireandwater.Pittacontrolshormonesandthedigestivesystem.Whenpitta isoutofbalance,aperson may experience negative emotions (such as hostility andjealousy) and have physical symptoms (such as heartburn withintwoorthreehoursofeating).Pittaisupsetby,forexample,eatingspicy or sour food; being angry, tired, or fearful; or spending toomuch time in the sun. People with a predominantly pittaconstitution are thought to be susceptible to heart disease andarthritis.Douillardreferstothisdoshaorbodytypeassummertype—a type with an aversion to hot weather, prefers cold food anddrinks, can’t skip meals, is a good public speaker, and has anenterprisingandsharpcharacter.Examplesoffoodsthataremorelikelytobalancethepittadoshainclude grapes, lemons, papaya, carrots, garlic, onions, radishes,spinach, buckwheat, brown rice, rye, beef, and egg yolks (if notvegan). Examples of foods thatmay create imbalance in the pittadosha include apples, coconut, pineapple, raisins, brussels sprouts,cabbage, celery, mushrooms, peas, barley, basmati rice, wheat,chicken,andeggwhites(ifnotvegan).Thekaphadoshacombinestheelementswaterandearth.Kaphasarestrongandhavetoughimmunesystems.Animbalanceinthekaphadosha may cause nausea immediately after eating. Kapha isaggravatedby,forexample,sleepingduringthedaytime,eatingtoomanysweetfoods,eatingafteroneisfull,andeatinganddrinkingfoodsandbeverageswithtoomuchsaltandwater(especiallyinthespringtime).Thosewithapredominantkaphadoshaarethoughttobevulnerabletodiabetes,gallbladderproblems,stomachulcers,andrespiratoryillnessessuchasasthma.Douillardreferstothisdoshaasspringtype—atypewithasolid,heavierbuild,greaterstrength,andendurance who is slow and methodical with a tranquil, steadypersonality.

Examples of foods that are likely to balance the kapha doshaincludeavocados, bananas,melons,pineapples, plums, cucumbers,sweet potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, oats,wheat, beef, and seafood(fornonvegans).Examplesoffoodsthatmaycauseimbalanceinthekaphadoshaincludeberries,cherries,mango,peaches,pears,beets,cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, eggplant, radishes, spinach, sprouts,barley, corn, rice, rye, and chicken, turkey, and shrimp (fornonvegans).

BothJohnDouillardandGabrielCousensincludecomprehensivelistsoffoodsthatarebestandfoodstoavoidforeachdosha.Practitionersseektodeterminetheprimarydoshaandthebalanceof

doshasthroughquestionsthatallowthemtobecomeveryfamiliarwiththe patient. The practitioner will ask about diet, behavior, lifestylepractices,andthereasonsforthemostrecentillnessandsymptomsthepatient had. He will carefully observe such physical characteristics asteeth, skin, eyes, and weight. He will also take the person’s pulsebecauseeachdoshaisthoughttohaveaparticularpulsespeed.

AyurvedicHealingAyurvedicpractitionersexpectpatientstobeactiveparticipantsintheirtreatmentbecausemanyAyurvedic treatments require changes indiet,lifestyle,andhabits.Ingeneral,treatmentsuseseveralapproaches,oftenmorethanoneatatime.Thegoalsoftreatmentareto:

Eliminateimpurities.Aprocesscalledpanchakarma is intendedtobecleansing; it focuses on the digestive tract and the respiratorysystem. For the digestive tract, cleansing may be done throughenemas, fasting, or special diets. Some patients receivemedicatedoils through a nasal spray or inhaler. This part of treatment isbelievedtoeliminatethecauseofdisease.Reduce symptoms. The practitioner may suggest various options,includingyogaexercises,stretching,breathingexercises,meditation(a conscious mental process using certain techniques—such asfocusingattentionormaintainingaspecificposturetosuspendthestreamofthoughtsandrelaxthebodyandmind),andlyinginthe

sun.Thepatientmaytakeherbs(usuallyseveral),oftenwithhoney,with the intent to improve digestion, reduce fever, and treatdiarrhea.Sometimes foods suchas lentilbeansor specialdietsarealsoprescribed.Reduceworry and increase harmony in the patient’s life. The patientmay be advised to seek nurturing and peacefulness through yoga,meditation,exercise,orothertechniques.Help eliminate both physical and psychological problems. Vital pointstherapyand/ormassagemaybeusedtoreducepain,lessenfatigue,orimprovecirculation.Ayurvedaproposesthatthereare107“vitalpoints” in the body where life energy is stored, and these pointsmay be massaged to improve health. Other types of Ayurvedicmassageusemedicinaloils.

OtherRelevantCAMPractices

Mind-BodyMedicineMind-bodymedicinefocusesontheinteractionsamongthebrain,mind,body, and behavior, and on the powerful ways in which emotional,mental,social,spiritual,andbehavioralfactorscandirectlyaffecthealth.It isanapproachthatrespectsandenhanceseachperson’scapacity forself-knowledge and self-care, and it emphasizes techniques that aregroundedinthisapproach.Mind-bodymedicine includes therapies likemeditation, prayer, mental healing, and therapies that use creativeoutletssuchasart,music,ordance.

EnergyMedicineEnergytherapies, similar toquantumtheory, involve theuseofenergyfields. They are of two types: veritable, which can be measured, andputative,whichhaveyettobemeasured.Theveritableenergiesemploymechanical vibrations (such as sound) and electromagnetic forces,including visible light, magnetism, monochromatic radiation (such aslaserbeams),andraysfromotherpartsoftheelectromagneticspectrum.In contrast, putative energy fields (also called biofields) have defiedmeasurement by reproducible methods. Therapies involving putative

energy fields, like acupuncture, are based on the concept that humanbeingsareinfusedwithasubtleformofenergy.Some forms of putative energy therapy manipulate biofields by

applyingpressuretoandmanipulatingthebodybyplacingthehandsinorthroughthesefields.Examplesincludeqigong,Reiki,andtherapeutictouch.Vital energy isbelieved to flow throughout thematerialhumanbody. Therapists claim that they can work with this subtle energy.Practitioners of energy medicine believe that illness results fromdisturbancesofthesesubtleenergies.Lighttherapyistheuseof lighttotreatvariousailments.Theuseof

lighttherapyhasbeendocumentedtobebeneficialforseasonalaffectivedisorder,with lessevidence for itsusefulness in the treatmentofmoregeneralformsofdepressionandsleepdisorders.Hormonalchangeshavebeen detected after treatment. Although low-level laser therapy isclaimed to be useful for relieving pain, reducing inflammation, andhelping to heal wounds, strong scientific proof of these effects is stillneeded.

NaturopathicDoctorsandNaturopathicMedicine

Naturopathicmedicine is aWestern-based healing practice.Many rawfoodleadersareorweretrainedasnaturopathicdoctors(NDs).Amongthem are Ann Wigmore and Norman Walker. There have been someobservationsthatnaturopathicmedicine,providedinthefourU.S.-basedand two Canadian naturopathic medical schools, has been evolvingtowardamoreconventionalapproachasoflate.Studentsareexposedtoa significant amount of education about nutrition and are trained totreatthecause,notthesymptoms.Thisisconsistentwiththephilosophyoftherawandlivingfoodlifestyle.Currently, only fifteen states license NDs. These states are Alaska,

Arizona, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Maine,Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, andWashington.NDscanpracticeinotherstates,buttheirpracticewillbelimitedinmostcasestobeingaconsultant,andtheywillnothavetheabilitytoordertestsorwriteprescriptions.SoifyouliveinastatethatdoesnotlicenseNDsbutyouchoosetoworkwithanNDforyourcare,

youmay want to make sure they have a relationship with anMD orotherpractitionerwhocanordertestsandworkinconjunctionwiththeNDonyourhealthcare.

SixPrinciplesofNaturopathicMedicine

Naturopathyisaschoolofmedicalphilosophyandpracticethatfocusesonimprovinghealthandtreatingdiseasechieflybyassistingthebody’sintrinsic ability to recuperate from illness and injury. Naturopathypracticesthefollowingsixprinciples:

1. First do no harm. The process of healing includes themanifestationsofsymptoms,soanytherapythatinterfereswiththisnatural healing process by masking symptoms is consideredsuppressiveandshouldbeavoided.

2. Thehealingpowerofnature.Thehealingpowerofnaturehastwoaspects: first, the body has the ability to heal itself and it is thenaturopathic doctor’s role to facilitate this natural process; andsecond, nature heals. Following this principle includes gettingenoughsleep,exercising,propernutrition,and,ifneeded,additional“earthfood,”suchasherbsoralgae(alivingorganism).Plantscangentlymovethebodyintohealthwithoutthesideeffectscausedbysomesyntheticchemicalsinmodernpharmaceuticals.

3. Identify and treat the cause. For healing to take place,practitioners must remove the underlying root causes of disease.These root causes can exist at many levels: physical, mental,emotional, and spiritual. It is the naturopathic doctor’s role toidentify the root cause, as well as alleviate suffering by treatingsymptoms.

4. Treatthewholeperson.Acoretenetofnaturopathy is thebeliefthathealthmustgobeyondtreatmentofimmediatesymptomsandinsteadcarefortheperson’sentirewell-being.Thatmeanstreatingthewholebody,aswellasthespirit,soul,andmind.

5. Thephysicianasteacher.Thenaturopath’sroleisalsotoeducatethe patient in naturopathic practices and encourage patients to“take responsibility for their own health.” This cooperative

relationshipbetweendoctorandpatientisessentialtohealing.6. Prevention. The ultimate goal of the naturopathic physician isprevention.Theemphasisisonbuildinghealth,notfightingillness.NDs do this by fostering healthy lifestyles, healthy beliefs, andhealthyrelationships.

MainstreamMDswithaCAMApproach

Many physicians take a CAM approach to diagnosing and treatingpatients, using both CAM and conventional medicine. The physiciansdiscussed in this section are all leaders in complementary medicine.These physicians, well known for their publications, radio shows, orotherpublicpromotionofCAM,are ingreatdemandbuthave limitedhours to dedicate to patient practice. Some of the more well-knowntraditional physicians with a CAM approach include Dr. RonaldHoffman,Dr.MehmetOz,andDr.AndrewWeil.

RonaldL.Hoffman,MD

Dr.HoffmanhasbeenprovidingnaturalapproachestohealthcareonhisHealthTalkradiosincethe1990s.Inadditiontohistraditionalmedicaltraining,heisalsoalicensedacupuncturistandacertifiednutritionist.Ifall physicians were trained like Dr. Hoffman, we would likely have abetterapproachtohealthcareoverall.Hesummarizedthemostcommonconcerns of patients in his 1997 book, Intelligent Medicine: A Guide toOptimizingHealth and Preventing Illness for the Baby-Boomer Generation.This book was billed as “featuring the best of alternative andmainstream approaches.”8 In his 2006 book, How to Talk with YourDoctor:TheGuideforPatientsandTheirPhysiciansWhoWanttoReconcileandUse theBestofConventionalandAlternativeMedicine,HoffmancitestheseadvantagesofaCAMapproach:9

Patient-centeredcareLowertoxicityandfewersideeffectsEmphasizesthedoctor-patientrelationshipEngendershope

FocusesonpreventionAddressesconcernsignoredbymainstreammedicineMakes thepatientanactiveparticipant incare (most importantofall)

MehmetC.Oz,MD

Although he has many medical accomplishments, Dr. Oz’s mostsignificant contribution to the health care world is his persistentdetermination to educate patients to take responsibility forunderstanding their bodies and to take better care of themselves. Inadditiontopatientresponsibility,Dr.Ozfocusesonbasicnutritionandself-management. Although the concept of patient responsibility is notlimited to CAM practitioners, he has inspired tens of millions ofAmericans in a very short time.A regular guest onTheOprahWinfreyShow,heislikelytoreachmillionsmore.In one of his first books,Healing from the Heart: A Leading SurgeonCombines Eastern and Western Traditions to Create the Medicine of theFuture, Dr. Oz discusses his willingness to explore complementaryapproachestotraditionalmedicinewithhispatients.10ButDr.Oz’sfirstbigsplashintotheAmericanconsciousnesscamewiththepublicationofYOU:TheOwner’sManual:AnInsider’sGuidetotheBodyThatWillMakeYouHealthier andYounger, which he coauthoredwithMichael Roizen,MD.11Thebookisamust-read.

AndrewWeil,MD

Dr.Weil,aHarvardMedicalSchoolgraduate, isprobablymost famousforhisseriesofbooksonintegrativemedicinewithafocusonhealing.In one of his first books, Spontaneous Healing: How to Discover andEmbrace Your Body’s Natural Ability to Maintain and Heal Itself, heexplores different case studies of patients told they had no hope ofrecovery, but somehow, with no intervention, they survived andthrived.12 These spontaneously healed patients often had some beliefsystem, practices, or other approaches that influenced their ability tothriveinthefaceofwhatappearedtobeafataldiagnosis.Hisapproach

isholisticandcarefullythoughtout.

RawandLivingFoodInstitutes

You can find instruction in raw and living food preparation aimed atimprovingyourhealthatthefollowinglocations:

HippocratesHealthInstitute,WestPalmBeach,Florida

AnnWigmoreFoundation,SanFidel,NewMexico

AnnWigmoreInstitute,Aguada,PuertoRico

TreeofLifeRejuvenationCenter,Patagonia,Arizona

LivingFoodsInstitute,Atlanta,Georgia

CHAPTER13

Spirituality

“The immaterial essence of an individual life or a person’s totalself”1 defines spirituality. In his book on mindfulness meditation,WhereverYouGo,ThereYouAre, JonKabat-Zinndefines spiritualityas“experiencingwholenessandinterconnectednessdirectly,asseeingthatindividualityandthetotalityareinterwoven,thatnothingisseparateorextraneous.”2 Raw and living foodists are some of themost spirituallysoundpeople Ihaveencountered. Itmayhave todowith the fact thatindividualswhopracticetheprinciplesofrawandlivingfoodhavegreatrespect for the earth and for every living thing. There is also a greatappreciationforwhatevergreatabundanceoffoodtheyareblessedwith.Generally,thereisalackoffocusontheselfandmorefocusonhelpingothers.As I approachmy third year of practicing the living food lifestyle, I

havejustgottenthefoodthingdown.Intherealmofspirituality,Ihaverecently completed meditation instruction to begin a meditationpractice. I am still inmanywayson theoutside looking in. I considerthishelpfulbecauseithasallowedmetoobservethefullpictureoftherawandlivingfoodlifestyle.IcanonlyhopetosomedayembodysomeofthespiritualstrengththatIhavewitnessedinthemanyrawfoodistsIhavehadthepleasuretomeetduringthepasttwoyears.Inthepastfewyears,opportunitiestoimproveyourspiritualityhave

increased.Forexample,onadriveonedayfromNewYorktoBaltimore,IlistenedtotheOprahandFriendsradiostationonXM.Onthatday,IheardWayneDyer describe his interpretation of the Lao Tzu’sTao TeChing, MarianneWilliamson provide insight intoA Course in Miracles,

and Jon Kabat-Zinn discuss mindfulness meditation with Mehmet Oz.Whilethismaybespiritualoverload,itspeakstoabiggerissue.Weallwantandneedtofeelmoremeaningtotheimmaterialessenceofourlives.So it appears that many of us seek to augment our current spiritualpractices.Inthischapter,wewillbrieflyexplorethespiritualpractices,separatefromorganizedreligion,thatarecommonamongrawfoodists.Wewilldiscuss their roots in Eastern religion and philosophy. There aremoresimilarities than differences between these practices. For example,certain yoga and meditation practices are performed as one unifiedwhole.Manyare intimatelyrelatedtotheIndianpracticeofAyurvedicmedicine, which is discussed in Chapter Twelve on health and healthcare.

Meditation

Meditationdescribesastateofconcentratedattention,self-inquiry,andincreasedawareness.Itusuallyinvolvesturningtheattentioninwardtoasinglepointofreference,likebreathing.Meditationisrecognizedasacomponent of most Eastern religions, where it has been practiced formore than five thousand years. During his address to the MillenniumWorldPeaceSummitattheUnitedNations,S.N.Goenka,theVipassanaAcharya, called meditation a nonsectarian remedy to a universalproblem.3

Meditation is a path to inner peace. Peace and harmony, however,cannotcoexistwithnegativity,mentalcorruption,orimpurity.4Youusemeditationtoquietyourmindandallowthenegativity,corruption,andimpuritiestodissolve.Youquietyourmindbyobservingyourthoughts.Ifyouobservenegativityorotherunsettlingthoughtsinyourmind,theylose their strength and fade away. The more you practice observingwithout losing your mental balance, the easier it will be to maintainyourbalancewhenyoufacestress,negativity,orchange.

MeditationinBuddhism

Meditation is central to Buddhism. The historical Buddha himself was

said to have achieved enlightenment while meditating under a Bodhitree.MostformsofclassicBuddhistmeditationdistinguishbetweentwoclasses ofmeditation practices, shamatha and vipassana, both ofwhichare necessary for attaining enlightenment. Shamatha is a practice thatdevelops the ability to focus on an outer object or an inner object.Vipassanaisananalyticformofmeditation,whichdoesnotfocusonanobject. Classic Buddhist meditation masters suggest that these twopracticesneedtobedevelopedinsequence,firstshamatha, followedbyvipassana.MaharishiMaheshYogi(commonlyknownasthegurutotheBeatles),whointroducedTranscendentalMeditation(TM®)totheWest,oncesaidthat if1percentof thepopulationTranscendentalMeditateddaily, theother 99 percent would benefit from the vibration and pull of lovegeneratedbythemeditators.TheTM®techniquemakesuseofquantumtheoryindescribingtheevolutionanddevelopmentofTM®.Today,itisestimatedthat0.4percentofthepopulationmeditatesdaily.MaharishiMahesh Yogi created the trademarked Transcendental Meditation, orTM™,technique.The Maharishi organization claims that since 1968, more than sixmillionpeoplehavebeentrainedonTM®.TM®isaseven-steptrainingprocess used to teach the technique which is practiced for twentyminutestwiceaday.ThetechniqueishighlyguardedbytheMaharishiorganizationaswellasbythestudentsofTM®,whosignanagreementnottodivulgedetailsoftheirtraining.TheMaharishiorganizationoffersthe first two steps free of charge to the public in most major citiesthroughout the world. After receiving the initial instruction, if youcommittotheremainingfivesteps,whichinvolvefivetwo-hoursessionsof training, youwill pay a fee for the remaining instruction. Your feecovers the cost of the initial training program and attendance at anytraining sessions held by the Maharishi organization anywhere in theworld,fortherestofyourlife.In Everyday Zen, Charlotte Joko Beck describes what meditationpracticeisandwhatitisn’t.Becauseweoftenhavesomanyexpectationsabout what we will get from meditating, Joko Beck spends timedescribingwhatmeditation practice is not. For example, she says it isnotaboutproducingpsychologicalchange,achievingsomeblissfulstate,

cultivating special powers or personal power, or havingnice or happyfeelings.Shedoessaythatmeditationpractice issimple,andit’saboutourselves.Topracticeeffectively,weneedtoremoveourselvesfromallexternal stimuli. Then we experience reality, which is challenging formostofus.JokoBeckdescribesthisinthefollowingway:“Ourinterestinrealityisextremelylow…wewanttothink…toworrythroughallof our preoccupations… to figure life out.”5 Through the meditationpractice,wegetacquaintedwithourselves.

MindfulnessMeditation:MeditationtoHeal

Jon Kabat-Zinn describes meditation as “waking up and living inharmony with oneself and the world” and mindfulness as “payingattention in aparticularway: onpurpose, in thepresentmoment, andnon-judgmentally.”6 In 1979, Kabat-Zinn founded the Center forMindfulness inMedicine,HealthCare,andSocietyat theUniversityofMassachusetts Medical School. His many books and CDs include:WhereverYouGo,ThereYouAre; FullCatastrophe Living;Coming toOurSenses: Healing Ourselves and the World through Mindfulness; andMindfulnessMeditation.InhisStressReductionClinic,Kabat-Zinnandhisteam have treated and healedmany patients, although hewill be thefirsttopointoutthatthisisnotthepurposeofthemeditationpractice.Healing and recovery may be side effects of meditation practice,accordingtoKabat-Zinn,butnotthereasonforengaginginthepractice.“Meditation is not for the faint-hearted nor for those who routinelyavoidthewhisperedlongingsoftheirownheart,”hesays.7

Meditationtrainingisavailableinmanydifferentforms.DavidLynch’sbookCatchingtheBigFish:Meditation,Consciousness,andCreativity isaneasyreadandawonderfulexplanationofhisownpersonalexperienceswith meditation. S. N. Goenka teaches classic meditation in centersworldwide. You can obtain more information on these free ten-day,highlydisciplinedprogramsatwww.dhamma.org.VipassanaFellowshipteaches classic meditation online. The ninty-day program costs $125.Youcan learnmoreatwww.vipassana.com.TranscendentalMeditationisalsotaughtincentersaroundtheworld.Youcanlearnmoreabouttheprogram at www.tm.org. Finally, mindfulness meditation is taught in

various locationseachyearbyJonKabat-ZinnandSakiSantorelli.Youcanlearnmoreabouttheseprogramsatwww.umassmed.edu.

Yoga

Yoga means union. Although many think this term refers to unionbetween body and mind or body, mind, and spirit, the traditionalmeaning is the union between one’s individual consciousness and theUniversal Consciousness. Therefore, yoga refers to a certain state ofconsciousness as well as to methods that help you reach that goal orstate of union with the divine. It is a group of ancient practices ofspiritual and physical development originating in India. Yoga isintimately connected to the religious beliefs and practices of Indianreligions.Asyouwillseebelow,oneoftheeightlimbsofyogapracticeis meditation. Outside of India, yoga is mostly associated with thepractice of asanas (postures) of hatha yoga or as a form of exercise.Major branches of yoga include: hatha yoga, karma yoga, jnana yoga,bhaktiyoga,andrajayoga.The eight-limbed path forms the structural framework for yogapractice.Nooneelementiselevatedoveranotherinahierarchicalorder.Eachispartofaholisticfocusthateventuallybringscompletenesstotheindividual as they find their connectivity to the divine. You canemphasizeonebranchand thenmoveon to another as you roundoutyour understanding in your yoga practice. The eight limbs of yogapracticeare:

1. Yama,meaningmoral restraintandabstinence fromattachment topossessions.

2. Niyama, meaning personal discipline, purity, contentment, study,andsurrendertoGod.

3. Asana,meaningbodyposturesusedinyogapractice.4. Pranayama,meaningbreathcontrol,lifeforce,orvitalenergy.5. Pratyahara,meaningcontrolofthesenses.6. Dharana,meaningconcentrationandcultivatinginnerawareness.7. Dhyana,meaningdevotionandmeditationonthedivine.

8. Samadhi,meaningunionwiththedivine.

Therearemanydifferenttypesofyoga.Kundaliniyoga,inparticular,focusesonspirituality.GabrielCousensdedicatessignificantportionsofhisbookSpiritualNutrition tothedescriptionofkundaliniasthekeytospiritualevolutionandenergy.Infact,Cousenstellsusthatthebookisthe second-to-last publication to emerge from his own meditationpracticewherehereceivedkundaliniinitiationfromSwamiMuktanandaParamahamsa. The practice of kundalini yoga consists of a number ofbodily postures, expressive movements and utterances, meditations,breathing patterns, and degrees of concentration. Recently there hasbeen a growing interest within the medical community to study thephysiological effects of meditation, and some of these studies haveappliedthedisciplineofkundaliniyogatotheirclinicalsettings.There are many schools, local and worldwide, that provide yoga

classes and yoga teacher training. In the United States, the KripaluCenterforYogaandHealthintheBerkshiresisprobablyoneofthemostpopular. You can find out more about their programs atwww.kripalu.org.Manyyogaprograms, likethoseofferedatyourlocalgym,mayfocusmoreonthephysicalaspectofthepracticethanonthespiritual. You need solid physical training to sustain a yoga practice.However,youwillwanttolocateaprogramthatmeldsthephysicalandspiritualcomponentsforthebestexperience.

Fasting

Fasting is traditionally defined as abstaining from food. When weabstain,wedeliberatelyrefrainfromanactivity,oftenwithgreateffort.Most raw and living foodists practice fasting. The raw and living foodlifestyle fasting practice may include abstaining from solid foods, allfoods,media(mediafastsareactuallyquitepopularandcanclearyourhead), or abstaining from other activities like dining out or using acomputer or cell phone. The reason for fasting is twofold. Fastingcleansesthebodyoftoxins.Thesetoxinsmaybethekindthatarecausedbyimbalancedeating.Theymayalsoberadiationemittedbycomputerscreens or stress levels created by listening to or watching too much

negativenews.Fastingisprobablytheoldestknownmethodforhealing.Fastingcanbeaspiritualpractice.Jesus,Elijah,andMosesfastedfor

forty days. They did not fast for physical health. They fasted forcommunionwithGod.8 InSpiritualNutrition,GabrielCousensdescribesreligious forty-day fasts. He describes his own forty-day fast as aprofoundspiritualexperience.Hebeganthefastbydrinkingfreshgreenjuices,andheendedbyonlydrinkingwater.Cousensalsosuggeststhatnooneshouldundertakesuchafastwithoutexperiencedsupervision.Althoughmany religious fasts are for the symbolic fortydays, a fast

doesnothavetobefortydayslonginordertohavespiritualbenefits.Atthebeginningofthischapter,spiritualitywasdescribedasrelatingtoaperson’s total self, or allowing for wholeness or interconnectedness.Spiritualitypertainstothe integrationofbody,mind,andsoul.Fastingmay be one of the best examples of total integration. In fasting, weimproveourphysicalhealththroughthecleansingprocess.Weimproveour mental health by practicing the rigorous discipline andconsciousnessnecessarytochoosedayafterdaytocontinuethefastingpractice.We also have the opportunity, if we choose, to improve oursoulbyusingthequietandconcentrationnecessarytoengageinafast.Wecandothisthroughprayerandmeditation.Manyyogisbelievethatwhenwe pray,we are talking toGod. Butwhenwemeditate,we arelisteningtoGod.SpiritualNutritionbyGabrielCousensandFastingandEatingforHealth

byJoelFuhrmanaretwoexcellentbooksthatcanguideyouthroughthebasics of the fasting process—long or short. In addition, both CousensandFuhrmanoffersupervisedfastsinaretreatformat.

CHAPTER14

PhysicalFitness

Just like eating your fruits and veggies, exercise should be animportant part of your daily routine. Grandma’s words ring true. TheUSDA’s food pyramid even has a recommendation thatwe exercise atleastthirtyminutesperday.Ifyourhealthcareteamisworthitsweightinsalt,theywilldiscussthiswithyou.Andhopefullyyoutalkwithyourchildren,parents,and lovedonesabout theirneed tobephysically fit.Withallofthepositiveinfluencesavailabletous,itseemsunlikelythatanyofuswouldnotbephysicallyactive.However,anecdotal,personal,andofficialevidence(liketheobesityrateintheUnitedStates)pointtoadifferentreality.There aremany resources available about differentways to get and

stayfit.Thischapterwillfocusonthespecificanduniquewaysthatrawandlivingfoodistsgetphysicallyfitandstaythatway.Let’slookfirstattherecommendationsofMyPyramid,thenewfoodpyramidavailableatwww.mypyramid.gov.The food pyramid now contains a recommendation that everyone

engage in at least thirtyminutes of physical activity per day. Physicalactivitysimplymeansmovementofthebodythatusesenergy.Walking,gardening, briskly pushing a baby stroller, climbing the stairs, playingsoccer,ordancingthenightawayareallgoodexamplesofbeingactive.For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous.Moderatephysicalactivitiesincludewalkingbriskly(about3½milesperhour), hiking, gardening and yard work, dancing, golf (walking andcarrying clubs), bicycling (less than 10 miles per hour), and weighttraining (a general light workout). Vigorous physical activities include

runningorjogging(5milesperhour),bicycling(morethan10milesperhour),swimming(freestyle laps),aerobics,walkingveryfast(4½milesper hour), heavy yard work (such as chopping wood), weight lifting(vigorous effort), and basketball (competitive). Activities that areaerobic and involve movement of the body will oxygenate the body.Activities that are anaerobic (like weight lifting) provide importantbenefits (like fighting osteoporosis and improving balance) but do notoxygenatethebody.Some may argue that the government does not have a place indeterminingwhatweshouldeatorwhatourexercisehabitsshouldbe.AlthoughthegovernmentmakesrecommendationssuchasthoseontheMyPyramidsite, thegovernment,ofcourse,doesnotactuallydetermineouractivities.Andalthoughitwouldbeidealforeachofustodetermineour owndiet and exercisehabits, the truth is that it is themedia andcorporateAmerica thatdoes this forus.Whatwe see andhearon theradio, on television, while driving down the street, and in thesupermarketareunfortunatelymorelikelytodriveourfoodandexercisechoicesthanourownconsciousdecisionmaking.Of all of the reasons to engage in physical fitness,what is themostimportant one to you? If you have read other chapters in the book,particularly the chapters on pH level and health care, you may havealreadyincludedgetenoughoxygenonyourlist.Asfarbackas1931,Dr.Otto Warburg and other scientists found that the human body needssufficientamountsofoxygentostayhealthy.Sinceacidicfoodsrobourbodies of oxygen, it helps to balance the acid-alkaline content in yourbody. But moving your body so your lungs can get to the point ofcompleteinspirationismost important.Youcan’toxygenateyourbodysittingatadesk,loungingonacouch,ordrivingacar.Butyoucangetitbyperformingmoderatetovigorousphysicalactivity.Asecondreasontoexerciseistokeepyourlymphsysteminmotion.Our lymph system, which is responsible for fighting infection andcleansing our entire insides, does not have its own pump. Unlike thecirculatorysystem,whichhas theheartas itscentralpump, the lymphsystemhasnone.Andwhat’smoreimportantisthatwithoutmovement,your lymph system cannot effectively perform its cleaning andprotectingfunctions.Wewerebuiltwiththeassumptionthatwewould

engage in regular movement and this would keep our lymph andimmune systems functioning. Certain activities, like jumping on atrampoline (believe it or not) aremore efficient atmoving the lymphsystem than others. We’ll discuss the use of a rebounder (mini-trampoline)inthenextsection.Athirdreasontoengageinphysicalactivityisthatithelpstobalanceyour spiritual andmental health. Yoga, described inChapter Thirteen,“Spirituality,”isanexcellentwaytoachievethisbalance.Regularyogapractice also provides significant physical benefits. In this chapter,wewill focus on the physical benefits of yoga, since we have alreadyaddressedmanyofthespiritualbenefits.

ReboundingandtheImmuneSystem

Your immune system defends your body from invasion by bacteria,viruses, chemicals, cancer, and other foreign agents. The first line ofdefenseagainstinvasionisyourskinandmucousmembranes.Theyactasaphysicalbarrieragainstunwelcomefoes.Thelymphsystemisyoursecond line of defense. The lymph cells identify foreign cells ororganisms like viruses or cancer, surround them, and destroy them,eventually dumping them into the blood to be eliminated. The lymphsystemisalsoprimarilyresponsibleforkeepingthefluidmovinginyourbody. So swelling in certain areas, especially in the lower limbs, isusuallyasignofaninefficientlymphsystem.Asnotedabove,thelymphsystem has no pump of its own, so it relies on muscle activity andexercise for the lymph to circulate. For this reason, it is believed thatlackof physical activity increases the rateof infections.The reverse isalsobelievedtobetrue:exerciseimprovesresistancetoillness.1

Conditionsoractivitiesthatsuppresstheimmunesystemincludeaging,traveling(especiallybyplane),chemicalsinthefoodyoueat,pollutantsin your environment, prescription and recreational drugs, poor eatinghabits, infections, lack of sleep, vitamin or mineral deficiencies, andstress. In addition to exercise, the following things are believed tosupport the immune system: amino acids, an enzyme-rich diet, deepbreathing,yoga,laughter,fasting,waterthatislivingandstructured(seeChapter Seven), meditation, positive affirmations and attitudes, and

eating fresh, organic food. Youwant to dowhatever you can to keepyourimmunesystemhappyandfunctioningwell.Nowlet’sturntothespecificactivityofrebounding,orjumpingona

mini-trampoline.Whatdoesthishavetodowiththeimmunesystem?Asanewcomertoreboundingandaformermarathonrunner,Iwouldliketosaythatreboundingisalotoffun!(Funispartofkeepingtheimmunesystem healthy.) I never experienced the degree of lightness andhappinessduringasix-orseven-oreight-milerunthatIdoeverytimeIjumponthatlittletrampoline.IkeeponeneartheentrancetomybackdoorsoifI(oranyoneelseinmyfamily)needaquickpick-me-up,it’salways there. If you have ever had the experience of jumping on atrampoline,perhapsyourecallthecarefreefeeling.Itisfunandhardlythekindofthingwetraditionallyassociatewithexercisethatisgoodforyou. And by rebounding, you are simultaneously engaging in twoactivities that support your immune system: exercise and laughter orhappiness.In her book Rebounding and Your Immune System, Linda Brooks

describes the essence of the rebounding process. She states thatrebounding strengthens every cell of the body equally andsimultaneously. The reason for this is that as you bounce, you are“accelerating and decelerating on the same plane, or vertically, withgravity.Duringotherexercisesuchaswalkingorrunning,youaccelerateand decelerate on a horizontal plane. In normal exercise you opposegravity.”2Inessence,reboundingislikeresistancetrainingforeachcellin your body.NASA tested and then adopted rebound training for theastronautswhenitwasdiscoveredtobe68percentmoreeffectivetothetotal body than treadmill running. Certified rebound instructors, likeLinda Brooks, and others claim that rebounding flushes the entirelymphatic system and triples white blood cells in two minutes ofbouncingafewtimesperday.Theactualactivityof reboundingcanbeassoftand lightorashigh

energy as youwould like. Your immune system benefits just asmuchfrom a soft, light bounce (hardly coming off the surface of thetrampoline) as it does fromahigh, fast bounce. The instructionbooksthat accompany the reboundersdescribedifferentmovements thatwillhelpyouincreasestrength,stamina,orboth.But,again,youwillreceive

significantbenefitfromdoingalightreboundafewtimesadayforjusttwominuteseachtime.One last comment regarding the rebounder:Manybooksand studieshavefoundaninterconnectednessbetweenalloftheatomsinourbodiesand the atoms in the universe.3 Quantum theory holds that there is aconstant wave, or vibration, that emanates from everyone andeverything.Thecharacteristicsofthatvibration,oritsenergy,getpassedalong to thenextatom it encounters. It seemsprettyclear thatenergyemittedfromreboundingwillbepositive,andthisenergywillpositivelyimpact all that it comes in contact with. I can attest to the fact that,although Iusually felt the endorphinhighafter tenor twelvemilesofrunning, there were many times during the run itself that the energycomingfrommewasmorenegativethanpositive.Thinkaboutyourownfitness routine—if you have one: does it make you feel positive andhappyduringtheroutineaswellasafteryouarefinished?If you are interested in rebounding, there are severalmanufacturerswhosellmini-trampolines,mostvia the Internet. Iuse theNeedakandfinditverydurable.Therearealsodeluxemodels,buttheymaynotbenecessary for you. If you have balance problems, you can purchase arebounderwithabarsoyoucanholditwhileyouarebouncing.

YogaPractice

Wediscussedyoga in theChapterThirteen,“Spirituality.”Yoga,whichmeansunion,isanintegratedpracticeforimprovingthemind,body,andinnerspirit.Yogasees thebodyasavehicle for thesoul in its journeytowardenlightenment.Therearethreeintegratedbodiesinyoga.4Thesearethephysicalbody,thecausalbody(whichstoressubtleimpressionsin the form of karma), and the astral body. The mental, spiritual,physical, and emotional benefits of yoga work together. The whole(yoga)isgreaterthanthesumofitsparts.Thephysicalbenefitsofyoga.Sincethebodywasseenasavehicleforthe soul by the ancient yogis, the system of yoga was developedspecificallytoensurethatthewholebodywouldfunctionproperly.Oneofthefunctionsofyogaistokeepthebodyinproperphysicalshape(asa safe haven for the soul). The physical exercises in yoga are called

asanas. They are nonviolent and provide gentle stretching that acts tolubricatethejoints,muscles, ligaments, tendons,andotherpartsofthebody. Asanas help to tone the nervous system, improve circulation,release tension, and increase flexibility.5 As a result, yoga probablyprovidesthemostcompleteformofexerciseavailable.There are different schools of yoga, each with its own focus and

purpose.Hathayogaistheoverlyingschoolofphysicalyoga.Itstressesmasteryofthebodyasawayofattainingastateofspiritualperfection.Itiscomposedofgentleandfairlyeasytomasterposestobeperformedwith intense concentration for concurrent meditation. Ashtanga yoga,whichisaformofhathayoga,ismuchmorevigorousandfastpaced.Theasanas, orpositions,ofashtangayoga, canbedifficult toobtain

andmaintainunlessyourbodyhasbeenadequatelystretchedandflexedthroughtrainingwithbasicyogaforms,likehatha.Theremorethanonehundredschoolsofyoga.Andthereareseveralschoolsofphysicalyogathathavegrownoutofhathayoga.Someofthemorecommonschoolsincludebikram,kundalini,iyengar,gentle,andpoweryoga.Eachhasaspecificapproachtothephysicalposturesorasanas.There are twelve basic poses plus a series of poses called the Sun

Salutation thatcanserveas thebasis for long-termyogapractice.Yogainstructionisavailablenotonlyinmosttownsandcities,butonDVDsthatcanbefoundinmostbookstoresandontheInternet.Theimmediatephysical benefits of the yoga asanas (poses) include increasing theflexibility of the spine, toning and rejuvenating the nervous system,increasing flexibility of joints and muscles, and massaging the glandsandorgans.Circulationisimproved,ensuringarichsupplyofnutrientsandoxygentoallcellsofthebody.6Youcanfindoutmoreaboutyoga,yoga schools, and teacher certification through the American YogaAssociationatwww.americanyogaassociation.org.

Walking

Walkingandhikingareverybeneficialactivitiesthatweoftenoverlookwhenwethinkof theneedtoexercise. In fact,walkingandhikingarepart of the agenda for the program at Gabriel Cousens’ Tree of LifeRejuvenation Center and the Ann Wigmore centers. In addition, Dr.

Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen have recently produced a CD,entitledYouonaWalk,thatisdesignedtowalktheuserthroughsomegentle meditation as well as encouragement during a regular walkingroutine.Thegreat thingaboutwalking is thatyoucando itwithyourspouse, your children, parents, friends, and others you care about.Unlikeotherphysicalactivities,youcanactuallyfocusonconversationswitheachotherinsteadofkeepingpaceorcatchingyourbreath.

AdaptiveFitness

Like adaptive eating, you should also practice adaptive fitness, or anexerciseplan thatworkswell foryou.Whatworkswell foronepersonmay not work well for the next. This suggestion is also supported byRogerWilliams’theoryofbiochemicalindividualitymentionedearlierinthebook.Trydifferentpracticesforaweekorsoandseehowyoufeel.Trynottomakeconclusionsaboutthebenefitsofanactivitylikeyoga,rebounding,walking,oranyotherprogramyoutry.Yourbodywillneedat least a fewweeksof engaging in the activity (threeor four times aweek) to determine if the exercise is working for you. Some ways toassess your progresswould be to ask: Am I in pain? Do I feel overallmoreenergetic?DoIlookforwardtodoingtheactivity?AmIwatchingtheclockwhileIamdoingtheactivity?Yougettheidea.Yourquestionsshouldbeabouthowyoufeelmentallyandphysically.Ifgoingtoyogaclass stresses you out, it might not be for you. But you won’t knowunlessyoutry.Itispossibletoplateau,togettoapointwhereyourbodygetssoused

to the same exercise that the benefits it should provide just aren’thappeningasregularly.Forexample,ifyouhavebeenpracticinghathayoga for a few years, at some point you may find that you need topractice themorechallengingashtangaposturesonceor twiceaweek.Varietymakes a difference, and it canhelp you stretchphysically andmentally.Youcanapplythisconcepttoanyactivity.Forexample,yearsago,I

beganrunningbecauseI founditwastheonlywayformetokeepmymigraineheadachesatbay.First,Iranabouttwomilesperday.Afterayear of this, I needed to run about three miles per day, and so on.

Eventually, I tapped out on the benefits of running and found otheractivities like rebounding and biking that took the place of running.Someday,Imayrunagain.AndwhoknowswhatotheractivitiesImaytry.Therearemanypossibilities!Youprobablydon’tneedtoconsidertheconceptofjump-startingyourexercise routine with more challenging activities until you have beeninvolvedinthesameroutine,providingyouwithbenefits,foratleastafewyears.Eventhen,thisdoesnotmeanthatyouhavetoabandonyourroutineforever,justthatyoumayneedtojump-startit.Youcanchangeyourroutineabitbyaddingintervals—increasingspeedordifficultyforaminuteduringeach ten-minute segment thatyouexercise.Or takeabreakforawhileandtrysomethingnew.Askyourself,doIlookforwardtomyexercisetime?DoIfeelhappyduringandaftermyexercisetime?Ifyouranswertoanyof thesequestions isno, it ismost important foryou to try new activities so you don’t stop exercising altogether. It ismuch easier, from both an emotional and a physical perspective, tochange fromone routine to another than it is to start exercisingagainafteradormantperiod.

CHAPTER15

EthicsoftheRawandLivingFoodLifestyle

The definition of ethical is: “pertaining to human character orbehaviorconsideredasgoodorbadwithmoralduty toobligation, thedistinctions between right andwrong, good and evil.”1 This definitionsupportswhatwealreadyknow.Thewordethical issubjecttoasmanydifferent definitions as there are people or organizations that comeupwith their version of what is ethical. So while many of us might saythere are many good, ethical outcomes of the raw and living foodlifestyle,noteveryonewillagree.Thegood,moralactionsoftherawandlivingfoodlifestylearemany.

First,adiet thateliminatesmeatsavesanimals,water,andenergyandincreases health. A diet that does not cook food saves energy andincreaseshealth.Adietthatusesonlyorganicfoodiskinderandgentlertotheearth.Butit’snotjustaboutdiet.Therawandlivingfoodlifestyleembraces veganism in all areas, not just food. This means no animalproductsareconsumedbyhumans,noleathershoesandnowoolcoatsareworn,andnoanimalfat-basedsoapsareused.AsJoStepaniaksaysinBeingVegan,fromanethicalperspective,leather,dairy,andmeatareindistinguishable.2

Asecondcomponentoftheethicsoftherawandlivingfoodlifestyleisthefocusonpeaceandpeacefulness.Someofthisisdrawnfromtheconcentration on spirituality. We are all interconnected. Whether youlook to Eastern religions, yoga, meditation, or quantum theory as thebasisforpeace,itbegsthequestion,whatwoulditbelikeifwecouldallget along? Some, like Gabriel Cousens, who believes that we createpeace by being peace, practice peace on a large scale. Others just

practice everyday serenity and exhibit kindness toward others theyencounter.Eitheractivityisapositivecontribution.JohnRobbins,whoseworkonfood,diet,andhealthcarehascausedmainstreamAmerica tomake some changes, is an ethics-based authorandeducator.What ismoststrikingishisconstantremindertousthateachofuscan,everyday,makechoicesthatimpactourownhealthandalsothehealthofourworld.Itisimportanttounderstand,aspeoplelikeJohnRobbinsandAlGoreremindus,thatwecanmakeadifference,onepersonatatime.Allethicsislocal.

BeingVegan

The Vegan Society in England defines veganism as: “a way of livingwhich seeks to exclude—as far as is possible andpractical—all forms ofexploitationof,andcruelty to,animals for food,clothing,oranyotherpurpose.” Vegans also use the acronym AHIMSA to describe theirpractice. Ahimsa is actually a Sanskrit word for nonkilling andnonharming.Thesixpillarsofthisdynamicphilosophyformodernlife(oneforeachletter:A-H-I-M-S-A)are:Abstinencefromanimalproducts,Harmlessness with reverence for life, Integrity of thought, word, anddeed,Mastery over oneself,Service to humanity, nature, and creation,andAdvancementofunderstandingandtruth.Beingveganisultimatelyabouthonoringlife.Beingveganisonlyonecomponentoftherawandliving food lifestyle. One of the primary dietary differences betweenveganismandtherawandlivingfoodlifestyleisthatveganseatcookedfood.InherbookBeingVegan, Jo Stepaniak answersmanyquestions fromreaders.Herresponsetoonequestionaboutwhetheritwouldbeokaytodrink the milk from a cow and eat the eggs from a chicken leftabandonedonthereader’spropertysumsuptheethicsofveganism.Shesays, “Vegans do not view cows and birds as machines and do notbelievetheirmilkoreggsshouldbeusedascommodities.Theaberrantreproductive capacities of cows and chickens have been contrivedthrough genetic engineering, drugs, hormones, rich feed, artificialinsemination, and environmental manipulation. In a natural setting, acow would lactate only to nourish her calf until it was weaned, and

chickens would produce eggs, their offspring, at a drastically reducedrate.”3

Jo Stepaniak’s bookBeingVegan is comprehensive andwell thoughtout.Inthebook,StepaniakcitestheVeganCodeofEthics:

1. Choosefoodsthatareexclusivelyplant-based.2. Withholdeconomicandmoralsupportfromenterprisesthatexploitorabuseanimalsorhumans.

3. Choosematerials andproducts thatneitherdestroynordistort thelivesofsensatecreatures.

4. Reject the use of living creatures as instruments of materials forteaching, scientific inquiry, entertainment, or other utilitarianpurposes.

5. Attempttoresolveconflictwithsensitivity,respect,andnonviolentstrategies.

Diet is only one component of veganism. The practice of veganismextends to all areas of life. This includes withholding support forresearch or any other activities that harm animals, investing only incompanies that have vegan-friendly practices, and using only vegan-based personal care products, including shampoo, soap, toothpaste,laundry detergent, and fabric softener, to name a few. These productscanbefoundinyourlocalhealthfoodstore.Mostvegansdonotholdreproductioninhighregardbecausetheyfeelthat adding more people to the planet will increase pollution andultimately harm the environment. Besides, they say, there are manychildren to be cared for, and we don’t need to add to the alreadystaggeringnumber.4This isoneareawhere itappears thatvegansandrawand living foodistsmaynotbe inagreement.Although Ihavenotbeenabletofindspecificdocumentationofthebeliefinprocreationonthe part of raw and living foodists, many of the leaders of today’smovementhavechildren.Furthermore,manywhomIhavespokenwithare quite anxious to grow their families so that therewill be a largerpopulation born into the raw and living food lifestyle, as opposed toadoptingthelifestyleinadulthood.

Peacefulness

Nutritionist and author Natalia Rose puts it well when she says thatwhenweeatananimal’sflesh,weareingestingtheanimal’svibration,which is the fear of death. So by not eating animal flesh,wemay bemorelikelytobepeacefulpeople.Thisperspectiveisalsosupportedbytheveganphilosophyandethicsdescribedabove.InherbookRawFoodLifeForceEnergy,Rosedescribeshowlittleinthetypicalgrocerystoreisactually food,although it ispackagedandsold tousas food.Shecitesproductslikeprocessedcheeseslices,heavilyprocessedluncheonmeats,mini-mealsforkids,microwavablefastfoods,fluorescent-coloredyogurtsnacksthat“containsomuchfoodcoloringtheycoulddoubleaspaint,”and instant soups with ingredients that “read like a radioactiveexperiment gone berserk.”5 As Rose points out, it is challenging to bepeacefulifwearetakingforeignsubstancesintoourbodies.GabrielCousensprovidesuswithadifferentperspective.Hesaysthat

worldpeaceisafunctionofourinnerpeace.Byourstateofmeditationwecreatepeacebybeingpeaceful.Cousensbelievesthatweallneedtoparticipateincreatingpeaceonearth.InhisbookSpiritualNutrition,heproposes that peopleworldwide shouldmeditate for fortyminutes perday at sunrise or sunset, linking together thoughts of peace andvisualizingtheplanetsurroundedinlight.6

TheJohnRobbins’FoodRevolution

JohnRobbinshasimpactedsomanythroughhisthreebooksDiet foraNewAmerica,TheFoodRevolution:HowYourDietCanHelpSaveYourLifeand OurWorld, andReclaiming Our Health: Exploding theMedicalMythandEmbracing theSourcesofTrueHealing,hemeritshisownsection inthischapteronlifestyleethics.WhileallofRobbins’booksareexcellentreads,mostoftheinformationinthischapterisgleanedfromhisbookTheFoodRevolution.JohnRobbins is a staunch proponent of the vegan lifestyle.Hewas

heir to the Baskin-Robbins ice cream empire, which he abandonedshortlyafterhisuncle,Mr.Baskin,hadafatalheartattackattheageoffifty-two. It was at that point when Robbins started to link diet with

health.Robbinsbegantotraveladifferentpathfromtheonehisfamilyfollowed.ThethingthatdistinguishesRobbinsfrommanyvegansishispassionfororganicandlocallygrownfood.InChapterFiveofTheFoodRevolution,helaysoutthespecificingredientsforahealthyplant-baseddiet. Robbins believes our diets should: (1) include lots of freshvegetables and fruits, (2) be low in refined and processed foods andsugar,(3)befreefromhydrogenatedfats,MSG,artificialpreservatives,artificialcolors,andchemicaladditives,(4)includemorewaterandlesssoda, (5)excludefried food,and(6)use locallyandorganicallygrownfoodswhenpossible.7

The facts inRobbins’bookarewell researched,and it isdifficult foranyone to argue successfully against the points he makes abouteliminatinganimal-basedfoodsfromourdiets.First,Robbinstalksaboutwhatwefeedtheanimalsweeat.Youcanreadtheunsavorydetailsforyourself in his book.Here is a sampling ofwhat youwill find: “Driedpoultry waste and sewage sludge are routinely fed to U.S. cattle. In1997,inthewakeoftheBritishepidemicofmadcowdisease,theU.S.FDA finally banned the practice of feeding cow meat and bone mealbacktocows…recycledchickenmanureisroutinelyincorporatedbackintothedietsofU.S.chickens.”8

AnotherethicalissueaddressedbyRobbinsisthedirectimpactontheenvironment created by producing various foods. He uses a table ofinformation onhowmany gallons ofwater it takes to produce certaintypesoffoods,asawaytogetusthinkingaboutethicsandwasteinourchoices. For example, according to specialists at the University ofCalifornia,ittakesabout23to25gallonsofwatertoproduce1poundofanyofthefollowing:lettuce,tomatoes,potatoes,andwheat.Ittakes49 gallons of water to produce 1 pound of apples, 815 gallons for 1poundofchicken,1,630gallonstoproduce1poundofpork,and5,214gallonsfor1poundofbeef.InChapterSixteen,Robbinsaddressesthebiotechnologyindustry.HedescribeshowMonsantoCorporation,foundedin1901byachemisttomanufacturesaccharin,isthelargestplayeringeneticengineering.TheCEOofMonsantoclaimsthatbiotechnologyisthesolutionforasafeandsustainable tool in agriculture and nutrition, in human health, and inmeeting theworld’s needs for foodand fiber.Robbins remindsus that

thetopfivebiotechnologycompanies(Monsanto,AstraZeneca,DuPont,Novartis, and Aventis) manufacture nearly 100 percent of geneticallyengineeredseeds.9

InChapterEighteen,RobbinscitesMonsantoagain.In1999,hesays,87,000 bags of organic tortilla chips were destroyed when a routineanalysisfoundtransgenicDNAtobepresentintheproduct.Theorganiccorn had been grown on a small organic farm, but it had beencontaminated by cross-pollination from neighboring farms that weregrowinggeneticallyengineeredcorn.Robbinsdescribeshowcompaniesresponsibleforthisdebacle,likeMonsanto,insteadofapologizing,suedthefarmerswhosecropswerecontaminated,accusingthemofstealingapatentedproduct—thegeneticallymodifiedversionofcorn.10

Amorecompellinggeneticallymodifiedorganism(GMO)example iswhat happens when human growth genes (or any growth genes) areinjected into animals, or even plants. You have seen giant apples ortomatoes in thegrocery store, right?Chances aregreat that theyweregeneticallymodified to reach that size. For example, the tomato seedsmay have been geneticallymodified by adding fish hormones or evenhumanhormones to produce the desired larger plant. Eating this foodcreatesasignificantsetofimbalances.First,forthehumanswhoeatthefood,itcreateshormoneimbalances.Second,theGMOfish(oranimals)mate with untainted native fish, and this gives the geneticallyengineered fish a selective advantage, and they createmore offspring.Butasitturnsout,theoffspringofgeneticallyengineeredfishhavefarhighermortalitythanthenativefish.11

Robbins ends his book, appropriately, reminding us that the choiceswemakeindividuallyandcollectivelydomakeadifference.Hesaysthatthedestinyoflifeonearthisupforgrabs,andweareeachapartofhowitwillturnout.Insummary,ethics,ordoingtherightthing,intheraworlivingfood

lifestyle turns out to be not too different from the ethics of vegans,humanitarians, environmentalists, and people who care about otherpeople and the earth. This includes not eating animals or animalproducts,eatingonly foods thatarenatural,untainted,andorganicallygrown, not using (if at all possible) any animal or animal products,treating everyone with kindness, looking for peaceful resolutions to

problems,andbeingkindtotheearth.

CHAPTER16

TheEconomicsofTransitioningtoaRawandLivingFoodLifestyle

Proposingchangeofanykind in the twenty-first century requirescontinuous and careful thought. Politics and economic interest groupsareattheheartofmanyoftheseconsiderations.Withoutthemoneyandpowerfulsupport,sweepingchangeislikelynottooccur.Thechallengewiththerawfoodlifestylegoesbeyondpoliticsandmoney.Itultimatelygoes to credibility and scientific support for the raw and living foodlifestyle.Dr.DeanOrnishwritesinhisforewordtoJohnRobbins’bookThe Food Revolution: How Your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and OurWorld, “Ihave spentmostofmyprofessional lifeusing the latesthigh-tech medical technology to assess the power of low-tech and low-costinterventions.”1ThetypesofinterventionsDr.Ornishreferstoincludealow-fat, plant-based, whole foods diet, yoga and meditation for stressmanagement,andexercise.Wecanask,howcananyonenotsupportadiet that is fresh, tasty, healthy, and organic? Dr. Ornish’s work is atestament to the fact that the complexity of our world has made theanswertothisquestionnotsostraightforward.Today,thereisahandfulofrawandlivingfoodlifestyleleaderswho

havemadesomesignificantcontributionstoresearchsupportingthedietandthelifestyle.However,Dr.Ornishhasoneadditionaladvantagethat,todate,noneoftherawfoodleaderscanclaim.Ornishwasamainstreamphysician. He was accepted as a scientist who practiced alongside hiscolleaguesatthelocalhospitalwhilehepursuedhisalternativenutritionandfitnessinterests.ThisgaveDr.Ornishahigherlikelihoodofgainingcredibilityandacceptanceamonghispeersandsocietyatlarge.

The attempt to obtain support for raw activities like eating moreorganicfoods,dehydratinginsteadofcooking,relyingonnutsandseedsfor bulk in your diet, rebounding, and even sprouting or drinkingwheatgrass,pales incomparison towhatDr.Ornishandhis supportershave accomplished. Ornish conducted the studies, created thedocumentation,andwrotethebookstocommunicatehisfindings.Findingsupportforthecauseisonlythefirsthurdle.Onceyouhaveobtainedcredibilityandhavescientificprooffortherawandlivingfoodsolution,youstillneedtobeabletoproposeaplanforimplementationthatwouldnotrequiretheentireeconomicinfrastructuretofirstfalllikea house of cards and then be rebuilt. When Hillary Clinton proposedpositive but sweeping changes in health care for the Clintonadministration in 1993, the largeness of the change was sooverwhelmingformostAmericans that it shooktheirsenseofsecurity.And ultimately the plan was abandoned. Interestingly, we haveimplemented pieces of the plan during the past sixteen years underdifferent names like HIPAA and the Medicare Patients’ Bill of Rights.Most likely, in the next few years, we will look back on what wasproposedbyHillaryClintonalmost twentyyearsearlierandrealizewehave a program that is very similar to the one she proposed. Weachievedthesolutioninsmallincrementsinsteadofallatonce.There are six important components of the raw and living foodlifestyle that should be studied for scientific, political, and economicsupport. These include: (1) a requirement for at least sustainable—andideally, organic—food coming from all food producers in the UnitedStates, (2)banning refined sugar (or at least providing awarning aboutthe negative health impact), (3) providing education on keeping livingenzymesinatleastsomeportionofourdailydiet,(4)acknowledgingtheimportanceofeatingadietwithahealthypHbalance,(5)improvingthequalityofdrinkingwater,and(6)providingeducationontheimportanceofaminoacids.Intheremainingpartofthischapter,wewilllookattheeconomics of implementing these six proposed raw and living foodlifestyle recommendations.This includes apotential decrease inhealthcare costs, the impact on our domestic food suppliers and relatedindustries,andtheimpactoncurrentrawfoodsuppliers(excludingfreshproducesuppliers).We’llendwithalookatagrassrootsmovementthat

asks,what if each one of us did something tomake a difference everyday?

TheDecreasedCostofHealthCare…andIncreasedPersonalResponsibility

Thedecreasedcostofhealthcare.Thathasaniceringtoit,doesn’tit?We have been talking about this issue in the United States sinceMedicare andMedicaid programswere created in themid-1960s. Thecosts of health care have escalated tremendously over the past fourdecades and the trend appears to be continuing. There are twocharacteristicsabouttherawandlivingfoodlifestylethatcouldhelptoreverse this trend. The first is pure, healthy eating. The second isincreasedindividualresponsibility.Theissueofpureandhealthyeatingand its impact is pretty clear and has been addressed throughout thisbook.Therealchallengeregardinghealthyeatingisnotacknowledgingthathealthyeatingisgoodforyou,butdoingsomethingaboutit.Thatiswhere increased responsibility, inherent in the raw and living foodlifestyle,willhavethebiggestimpactregardingtheeconomyandhealthcarecosts.Personalresponsibilityisanintrinsicpartofarawandlivingfood lifestyle.Taking increasedresponsibility leads todecreasedhealthcarecosts.Therawandlivingfoodlifestyle,asdescribedinthisbook,isonethatrequires the individual to be aware, inquiring, and engaged in criticalthinking.Ifyouarepracticingtherawandlivingfoodlifestylethewayitismeanttobepracticed,youwillbeawareorconscious,andinvolvedinacritical,analyticalthoughtprocessaboutallofyouractivities—notjusteating.Although the processmaybeginwith your focus onwhat goesintoyourmouth,itwillsoonextendtoallareasofyourlife.WhatdoIuse towashmy hair? Did I remember to bringmy canvas bag to thegrocerystoresoIwon’thavetouseadditionalplasticorpaper?Arethenutsusedinthisrecipesprouted,toensureproperenzymecontent?HowcanIbemoremindfulwhenmakingdecisionsthataffectmyemployees?Whatisakind,peacefulwaytosettlethedisagreementIamhavingwithmychild,parent,orspouse?Yougettheidea.Theareasforengagementandimprovementarealmostneverending.

Increased awareness and engagement in the raw and living foodlifestyle can beginwith something as simple as looking for thewordsconventional and organic on the signs above the bananas, apples, orspinachyouareabout topurchaseand thenpicking theoneswith theorganic sign. Eventually, you may refine this process to one where,insteadofdrivingtothe localsupermarket foryourfreshproduce,youpick up locally grown organic produce that is delivered to a commonpoint in your hometown. The difference between supermarket andlocally grown organic produce can be demonstrated in a recentencounterIhadwithkiwi.ItwaslateJanuaryandIwaslookingforkiwifor my son’s lunch for school the next week. Thrilled that the onlyremaining carnivore in my family had agreed to eat fresh fruit everyday,aslongasitwaskiwi,Ihadnotthoughtaboutthepracticalrealityofthisrequest.AttheclosestWholeFoodsMarketineasternPennsylvania(whichfor

me is a forty-five-minute trip), I found organic kiwi and lots of them.However,whenIlookedcloseratthetinyprintonthelabel,Isawthatitsaid Italian organic kiwi. Sure that this kiwiwas not all theway fromItalyandthatitwasinsteadabrandnameofsomesort,Iaskedoneoftheworkersintheproducedepartment,whoconfirmedformethatyes,that kiwi had been shipped to the United States from Italy. Now,mydilemmawas twofold.First, I imagined the trip thatkiwihad taken tomake its way from the warmth of southern Italy, across the Atlantic,through the docks in New York City, and then across the highway toeastern Pennsylvania. All I could thinkwas, “How could this piece offruithaveanyenergy, letalonenutritionalcontent, left in it?”Second,what exactly does organic mean in Italy? I did not have my laptopcomputerwithme,soIcouldn’tGooglethekeywordscriteriafororganicproduce in Italy, but I imagined that Europeans are very kind to theirfood,soorganicinItalywasprobablyatleastassoundasorganicintheUnitedStates. Ibought thekiwiwiththeplanthat Iwouldstopat thethreeothersupermarketsIwouldpassonthewayhometoseewhetherthey hadorganic kiwi thatwasdomestic. The supermarketswere FreshMarket, Giant Foods, and Super Fresh. I guessed that it was highlyunlikelythatIwouldfindabetterqualityofkiwiatanyofthesestores.Iwas correct. Only two of the stores even had kiwi. And, of those two

stores,bothhadconventionalkiwiandbothwere imported.Given thechoicesavailable,IfeltthatIhadmadetherightdecision.Althoughtheresultwasnotoptimal,atleastmysonwouldbeeatingimportedorganicItaliankiwiandnotOreosorhotwings.Somedegreeofmindfulnessisnecessarywhenyoupracticearawandliving food lifestyle—a degree that is not necessary if you are on thestandardAmerican diet (SAD).A decade ago, ifmy sonhad asked forkiwi,Iwouldhaveaddedittothelistandmindlesslyploppedthemintothecart(withoutknowingwhatcountryitcamefromorwhetheritwasorganic or conventional) with twenty other items purchased from thecookieandcerealaislewhileIwasthinkingaboutthemeetingIhadthenight before. I usually had my cell phone to my ear during theseshoppingtripsandIwasmorefocusedontheconversationthanonthefoodIwasselecting.Thosedaysareoverforme,andtheycanbeforyoutoo if you are willing to take on the responsibility. The rewards aregreat.Thesecondpartofincreasedresponsibilityistherelationshipbetweenan individual who assumes increased personal responsibility and thecorresponding improvement in her health care. There are two strikingexamplesof thisandbotharesupportedbyempiric,publishedstudies.In his bookReclaiming Our Health, John Robbins describes the studiesperformed at Yale University by Bernie Siegel, the noted surgeon andauthor. Dr. Siegel and his colleagues found a 100 percent correlationbetween the head nurse’s opinion of the patient and the long-termsurvivalrates.Iftheheadnursesaid,“He’sarealSOBandwon’tletyoudraw the blood for the test,” Dr. Siegel’s teamwould find no troublewiththepatient’simmunesystem.Ifthepatientwasasubmissive,gentlepatient who would not question anything, and would always let thenurses draw blood, he was in trouble.2 One of the possibleinterpretations of the results of these studies is that patientswho takeresponsibility for themselves and arewilling to stick their neck out aremore likely to get better results. You can also interpret this action asrepresentativeofsomeonewhoisaware,engaged,andcriticallythinkingabouttheimpactofsomeoneelse’sactionsonhim.In1997,theresultsofapsychologicalstudyofnursinghomeresidentswerepublished.3Ninety-oneresidentsweresplit intothreegroups.The

firstgroupreceivedaspeechfromthedirectorofthehomeemphasizingthattheresidentshadalotofresponsibilityfortheirownlives.Shealsotold them that a movie would be shown on two nights during theupcomingweekandthattheresidentshadtodecideonwhichnighttheywouldattend.Thedirectorgaveeachresidentahouseplant,statingthatit was up to the resident to take care of it. The director also gave aspeechtotheother(comparison)group,butsheomittedallreferencestotaking responsibility and making decisions for themselves. This groupwasassignedtoamovienight,andeachpersonwasalsogivenaplant.However,thisgroupwastoldthatanursewouldcarefortheplant.Thefinalgroupwasassignedamovienightandhadnospeechorplantgiventothem,justbusinessasusualinthenursinghomeforthem.When the researchers conducted a follow-up study eighteenmonths

later, they found that the intervention not only improved residents’health but reduced the likelihood that they would die. After eighteenmonths,15percentoftheexperimentalgrouphaddiedcomparedwith30 percent in the comparison group. The findings suggest that givingelderlypeoplemoreresponsibilityandcontrolovertheirlivesandtheirenvironment may slow down mental and physical decline. Moreimportantly, there arepossible implications for everyone, regardless ofage.Notbeingactivelyinvolvedinthedecisionmakingaboutyourlifeand your day-to-day activities can have a detrimental effect on yourhealth and well-being. The converse, beingmore aware, mindful, andengagedindecisionmakingaboutyourlife,canhaveapositiveeffectonyourhealthandwell-being.

ProposedImpactofRawLifestyleChangesonU.S.FarmersandManufacturers

Theimpactontheeconomyofthesixproposedchangesatthebeginningofthischaptercouldbestaggering.Let’slookateachoneindividually.First,phasingoutconventionallygrowncropsandreplacingthemwith

sustainableandeventuallyallorganiccrops.JohnRobbins,inTheFoodRevolution, discusses the fact that many studies have found that theamount of food produced from organic fields is comparable to theamount produced from conventional (nonorganic) processes. Robbins

includesanodtotheRodaleInstitute.In1995,Rodalefoundthatduringthe first fourteen years of their fifteen-year study, comparable yieldswereobtainedwithouttheuseofchemicalpesticidesorfertilizers.Evenmore significant was the fact that they found that organic fieldsproducedmoreproductthanconventionalfieldsduringdroughtyears.4

Second,eliminating refined sugar from theAmericandietorat leastincludingawarningonthelabel.Theeconomicimpactofsuchaconceptis far beyond the scope of this book. If the tobacco industry is at allanalogous,theamountoftimeitwilltaketo(1)provetheharmcausedbyrefinedsugar,(2)identifywaysfortheindustrytorepairthedamagedone,and(3) identifysuitablesubstitutes industry-widecouldbequitelengthy.Thecurrent sugar industrycould takecontrolbybeginning tomanufactureanddistributehealthy,naturalsugarsubstituteslikeagave,stevia, or yacón. Unless there is a significant economic incentive, thesugarindustryishighlyunlikelytoundertakesuchactions.Third,providing informationon the importanceofeating foodswith

theirenzymesstill intact.Itappearsthatsufficientworkhasbeendonetoprovethevalueoflivingenzymesinfood.Howandwhetherindustry,thegovernment,andperhapsmoreimportantly,themediaaddressthisissue is an open-ended question. In order for enzymes to get theattentiontheydeserve,therewouldhavetobesomethinginitforeachof the players. Industry could benefit through production and sales ofeithersupplementsortoolsforuseinthesproutingprocess.Governmentcould benefit by spending less on health care because of the resultinghealthierpopulation.And,ultimately,iftheAmericanpublicbenefits,atleastintheory,everyoneshouldbenefit.Fourth,makingthepHofallpackagedfoodspartof the information

onthepackageingredientlabel.ThisshouldbeagivensincepHissuchan important component of every food. It is probablymore importantthan the number of calories on the current label. The initial cost tocalculate the pH level may be high, but once it is calculated, therequirementshouldbeeasytoregulate.Fifth,improvingthequalityofdrinkingwater.Thisisprobablyastate

orlocalissueoverall.Butsalesofbottledwatercouldberegulatedatthefederallevel.Andsixth,increasingaminoacidrichfoods.Thiscouldbeaddressed somewhere in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food

pyramid.There ismuchmorethatneedstobedonetomovetowardaset of healthier habits for all of America. Yes, can move forwardindividually,andwehave.Butwhenwehavethebackingofallrelevantgroups, we will all be healthier, and then we can focus on themanyother pressing issues that deserve our attention besides dieting andeating.

TheSupplyandDemandofRawandLivingFood

This section addresses the supply and demand of prepared raw andlivingfood.Ideally,themajorityoffoodpreparationshouldbedoneathome.However,atleastintheshortterm,itwilllikelybeimpossibletochange theAmericanmind-set regarding the ability to grab somethingonthewaytoorfromworkorsomeotherplannedactivity.Evenmoreimportant,whatabouttheabilitytopurchaseconveniencefoodssoyouhaveacompletemeal,notjustsaladandfruit?Therearealreadysomerawfoodmerchantsprovidingthisservice.TheyincludeMattAmsdenofRAWvolution(www.rawvolution.com).Healsooffersprepared,vacuum-packed, raw food that can be delivered to your door each week. Youreceivethatweek’sfourentrées,twodesserts,foursidedishes,andtwosoups. This is enough to feed one person dinner for about four days.Certain foods preserve better than others and you might not likeeverythingonthepredeterminedmenu,butoverall,theexperienceisapleasantone.AnotherrawmerchantwhodeliversfoodovernightisAwesomeFoods.From the Web site at www.awesomefoods.com you can order anynumberofentrées,deliciousrawbreads,soups,salads,anddesserts.AslongasyouorderbySundayat5p.m.,youwill receiveyour food thefollowingweek.Thisorganization specializes in rawcarbohydrate-basedfoodsandisparticularlyhelpfulforthetransitioningrawfoodistorforthewintermonthswhen youmay need food that ismore substantive.Theirrawbreadscomeinflavorslikeonion,olive,andrye,andinsteadof thecrunchiness socommon inrawbreads (whichmakes themseemmore like crackers), they are a thin, soft, chewable texture—great formakingsandwicheswithAwesomeFoods’BetterthanTurkeySalad.In addition tomail-order fast raw food,most larger cities and some

smaller towns have raw food cafés that offer quick sit-downmeals ortakeaways.MyfamilyandIregularlyusePureFoodandWinetakeawayandQuintessencetakeout,bothinNewYorkCity.Eachrestauranthasitsownuniquestyleandselections.Bothareexcellent.WheneverItravel,IdoaquickGooglesearchforrawfoodcafésinthecityIwillbevisiting.Today,thereisabouta75percentchancethattherewillbeacaféintheselectedcityIamheadedfor.Ayearandahalfago,thepercentagewasmorelike50.Thismaybeanindicationofincreaseddemandinashorttime.These examples provide some information about the current supplyanddemandforrawfood.AnotherwaytodeterminegrowthindemandistolookatthegrowthinthenumberofWebsitesdedicatedtosellingrawfoods.Ayearago,whenIdidaGooglesearchonrawchocolatebars,one or two sites would show up that were valid suppliers of rawchocolatecandybarsandwereU.S.-basedcompanies.Atthattime,mostcompaniessupplyingrawchocolatewereinEurope.Today,thereareatleastsixsuppliersintheUnitedStates.Eventhen,thereisagoodchancethatforoneortwoofthosecompanies,thechocolatebarswillbeoutofstock,whichfurtherindicatesthatdemandisoutpacingsupply.Rawicecreamisanotherexampleofasupplyanddemandimbalance.As Inotedearlier in thebook,high-quality raw icecream(made fromorganic young Thai coconut meat, cashews, and agave) is one of thetastiestandmostfunrawfoods.However,thechallengetomakingitistwofold.First,thesupplyofhigh-qualityyoungThaicoconutsistenuousatbest.Second,ifyoucanfindthecoconutsupply,youstillneedable-bodiedpeopletoharvestthecoconutpulpfromthebodyofthecoconuts—a daunting task. Sarma of Pure Food and Wine makes the mostamazingrawicecreamonthemarket.Hersiscreamyandconsistentinqualityandtaste.Sarmaisaperfectionistandwillnotmakeaproductunless it is sure toplease thecustomerandmeether standards. In thefallof2007,whensuppliesofresourcesandcoconutswerenotadequate,SarmastoppedservingicecreaminherPureFoodandWinetakeaway.You could almost hear the groans in New York City’s Gramercy Parksectionwhenshemadethisdecision.ButSarmatookthetimetocreateaworkablestrategytomeetdemand.Bylatewinter2008(agruelingfourmonths later), Sarma had the process humming again with ice cream

available at her takeaway store and from her online store(www.oneluckyduck.com).These are all anecdotal pieces of information about supply and

demand. But they indicate a trend and a concern. If we want toencouragea rawand livingdiet, oneof thebestways to get andkeeppeopleonitisbyprovidingchoiceandexcellenttasteinfood.Themanyleaders intherawfoodpreparationmovementnotedinthisbookhaveproventhattasteandchoicearepossible.Whatisstillyettobeprovenishow it is possible to make high-quality raw and living foods so theconsumer of the food retains the benefits of organic, freshness, highenzymecontent,andlove.Theattitudeoftheindividualmakingthefoodcarriesvibrationsthatimpactwhomeverconsumesthatfood.Rawfoodpreparation staff are aware of this and take their jobs and theirresponsibilitiesseriously.Butunlesswecantrainthousandsofpeopleayearinthisprocess(keepinmindthattheyneedtobetherightpeople),there is an issue of demand outstripping the supply of raw food.Somehow,theideaofmass-producingrawchocolatebars—allofwhich,bytheway,arenowmadebyhand—removesanessentialingredient.Thereisnoquickfix.AsEinsteinsaid,“Inthemiddleofdifficultylies

opportunity.”Withthegrowingdemandforrawfoods,thereappearstobeanopportunity.Nowwejusthavetomeetitinawaythatdoesnotturnthepurityandhealthinessofrawfoodsintosomepervertedversionofwhatitusedtobe.Weneedtokeeprawandlivingfoodsjustthat—rawandliving.

AGrassrootsMovementforRawandLivingFood:ThingsWeCanDo

10ThingsWeCanAllDo

Start out by selecting two from the list below to help make yourselfhealthierandtheworldabetterplace.

1. Eatsomegreenseveryday.2. Eatlessmeat,ornoneatall.

3. Eatnorefinedsugarorproductscontainingrefinedsugar.4. Jumponareboundertwentyminutesadayorpracticeyogadaily.5. Fastonceortwiceayearfromfoodormedia.6. Look up the pH level of the tenmost common foods you eat andeliminateanythingwithapHlevellessthan6.

7. Drinkonlybottledwaterfromartesianwells(likeFiji).8. Eliminatedairyoruseonlyrawdairyproducts.9. Meditatetwentyminutesaweek.10. Pickonesupersupplementtoaddtoyourdailyregimen:beepollen,

blue-green algae, chlorella, or spirulina as one of your dailysupplements.

10ThingsSchoolsCanDo

1. Provideorganiclunches.2. Servelunchesmadewithproducegrownlocally.3. EducatestudentsabouttheimportanceofpHbalance.4. Educatestudentsaboutthefoodindustry.5. Trainteachersontherelationshipbetweennutritionandhealth.6. Raise awareness about the relationship between nutrition andhealth.

7. Invite speakers like John Robbins and other socially consciouspioneersfromprivateindustrytogivepresentations.

8. Usehealthy sweeteners like stevia andagave insteadof sugar andartificialsweetenersincafeteriafood.

9. Teach an elective course on meditation (Harlem public schoolsteachmeditationtotheirstudents).

10. Teachyogaduringgymclass—forboysandgirls.

10ThingsPrivateIndustryCanDo

1. Require all employees to participate in a company-sponsored

nutritionaltrainingprogram.2. Feed employees fresh, natural, organic, and/or raw food in thecafeteria.

3. Serve blueberries and almonds at company meetings instead ofcoffeeanddonuts.

4. Provideincentivestoemployeestoeatwell(contestsorrecognitionprograms).

5. Requireallemployeestotakecompany-sponsoredmind-bodystress-reductiontraining.

6. Stockthecompanycafeteriawithhealthysweetenerslikesteviaandagaveinsteadofsugarandartificialsweeteners.

7. Offerregularyogaclassesfirstthinginthemorningorduringlunchbreaks.

8. Keepreboundersincommonareas.9. InviteJohnRobbinsandotherstospeak.10. Provide quality herbal tea alternativeswith agave or stevia at the

coffeemachine.

10ThingstheGovernmentCanDo

1. AddpHcontenttofoodlabels.2. Require teaching nutrition (and its role in health) to grade schoolandhighschoolstudents(stategovernments).

3. Pass legislation to certify naturopathic doctors to practice in thethirty-fivestatesthatdonotcurrentlyallowNDstopractice.

4. Posthealthwarningsonrefinedsugarandrefinedsugarproducts.5. Passgreenlegislation—moreoxygenmeanslessacidity.6. Highly regulate and eventually phase out the nonorganic farmingindustry.

7. Requireschoolstoserveorganicoptionsforlunch.8. Provide more resources and training on the food pyramid(www.mypyramid.gov).

9. Updatethefoodpyramidannuallywithinputfromallsegmentsofthe population, not just industry. This would include input fromprivate nutritionists, physicians, and alternative medicinepractitioners.

10. Pilotallofthesesuggestionsatone(ormore)schoolsineachschooldistrict.Afterayear,measureimprovementsinhealth,grades,andphysicalfitness.

CHAPTER17

PetsandRawFood

IfyouGooglethekeywordsrawdiet,youwillfindthatabouttwoofeverytenentriesareforrawpetdiets.Forexample,oneofthefirsttenresults is the barfworld.com Web site. The entry states, “InformationabouttheBonesAndRawFoodDiet,withrecommendationsandsalesoffoods, supplements, publications and videos.” When you click on theentry,you landonaWebsitededicated to therawdietofpets that isquite impressive and very comprehensive. The tabs include entries forBARFAssociation,BARFbreeders,andBARFdistributors.TheacronymBARFmeansbiologicallyappropriaterawfoodorbonesand raw food.Onthe barfworld.com homepage, the first paragraph states, “Your petdeservesonlythemostnutritious,safe,healthyandnaturalrawpetfoodon the planet. BARF World’s philosophy is that in order to achieveoptimum health for your pet from puppy to senior you should feed a“biologically appropriate raw food” or “BARF” diet which is rich invitamins,minerals,livingenzymes,naturalproteinsourcesandpremiumquality fruits and vegetables.”1 See also barfaustralia.com for moreinformation.It’snotjusttheInternetthatisfullofresourcesonrawdietsforpets.

There are also many books written by very experienced, credibleindividuals who provide advice and guidance on the highlyrecommendedrawdiet forpets.Someof themostnotedbooks includeTheBARFDietbyAustralianveterinarianIanBillinghurst,whousestheBARFdietforhisclients’petsandforhisownpets.DeniseFlaimisthecompanion-animal columnist forNewsday. Flaim’s book is entitledTheHolisticDogBook:CanineCarefor the21stCentury.OtherbooksincludeRawDogFoodbyCarinaBethMacDonald,NaturalNutritionforDogsand

CatsbyKymythyR.Schultze,andDr.Pitcairn’sCompleteGuidetoNaturalHealthforDogsandCatsbyRichardH.andSusanPitcairn.With the exception of animal flesh (which is actually a pretty bigexception),therawfoodpetdietisnotthatdissimilarfromthehumanraw and living diet described in this book. There is a middle-groundsolutionforthoseofuswithoutthestomachortheconsciencetoserveour pets raw animal flesh. This middle ground is proposed by DeniseFlaim,andwewilladdressitinthesection“EthicsoftheRawPetDiet”below.Inthischapter,wewilldiscussthehistory,thebenefits,andthecomponentsoftherawpetdiet,aswellastheethicsofit.

TheRootsoftheRawPetDiet

Dr.IanBillinghurstisthepioneeroftheBARFdiet.Hewasthefirsttopublish a complete resource on the diet describing his own pets’experiences with it as well as the experiences of the animals he hastreated.TheacronymBARFstandsforbiologicallyappropriaterawfoodorbonesand raw food,dependingonwhichoneappeals toyoumore.Dr.Billinghurst claims that the diet brings enormous health benefits toanimalsthateat it.MostothersupportersofthedietwhohavewrittentheirownbooksorhaveWebsiteresourcesonthedietciteBillinghurstasthesourceformanyoftheirownpractices.Billinghurst explains that BARF is about “feeding dogs and cats thediet they evolved to eat over millions of years of natural, species-appropriategeneticadaptation…simplelogicandbasicbiologydictatesthatbecauseourpets’bodiesrequireanevolutionarydiet,thatisexactlywhatweshouldfeedthem.”2Heexplainsinmoredetailthatthefurtheraway an animal’s diet is from its natural, evolutionary diet, themorehealth problems that animal is likely to develop. As a result, he isconvinced that modern grain-based dog feed causes many healthproblems. BARF, Billinghurst explains, is merely a return to thebiologically appropriate method of feeding pets that was abandonedabout sixty-five years ago when processed pet foods came about.Processingoffoodisnotonlynotgoodforus,it’snotgoodforourpetseither.Thegeneticdifferencebetweendomesticateddogsandgraywolvesis

about1percent.Thisminordegreeofdifferencebetweendogsandtheirwolfkinisthekeycomponentofthenutritionaltheorysupportingrawdog food. Dogs, likewolves, need raw food to derive crucial enzymesandnutrients,whicharedestroyedduring thecookingprocess.3Soundfamiliar?Thislastsentence,withfewmodifications,couldbeincludedinthe introduction to thisbook in its explanationaboutwhy raw food isbestsuitedforhumans.

BenefitsoftheBARFDiet

Dr.Billinghurstsaysthat,asageneralrule,anygeneticfaultsyourpetmayhaveinheritedwillhaveaminimalchanceofexpressionwhenyoufeedyourpettheBARFdiet.Heincludesthefollowingbenefitsasthosehepersonallyhaswitnessedwhenpetshavebeentransitionedtotherawdiet:(1)increasedenergy;(2)increasedleanbodymass;(3)manydentalandskinproblemsdisappear;(4)infectedearsbecomehealthyagain;(5)arthritis, incontinence, diabetes, and reproductive system problemsdisappear; and (6) resistance to parasites increases. Flaim adds thefollowing benefits of the raw diet to her list: (1) enhanced immunesystemand reducedallergic reactions; (2) increasedhydration; (3) lessofadoggysmell;and(4)smallervolumeofstools.

ComponentsoftheRawPetDiet

AccordingtoBillinghurstandotherBARFexperts,thereisacertainwaytofeedyourpettogetmaximumbenefitfromtherawdiet.HeliststhefollowingfiveingredientsasthebasisoftheBARFdiet:

1. Water.Petsdonotgetenoughwaterwhenwefeedthemdehydratedpetfood.Billinghurstsuggestssupplementingtheanimals’dietwithwaterfromahealthysource,likespringwater.

2. Raw, Meaty Bones. Bones were a major food source in theevolutionarydietofouranimals.Theysupplythebulkofthepets’energy,water,protein,vitamin,mineral,andenzymerequirements.

3. Raw Fruits and Vegetables. Dogs need approximately 15 percent oftheir diet as fresh, whole, raw, mostly nonstarchy vegetables and

fruit.Catsneedabout5percentofthedietassuch.4. Offal.Offal,orinternalanimalorgans,areimportanttothedietaswell.

5. Supplements. Supplements commonly include healthy oils,probiotics, minerals, vitamins, kelp, alfalfa, garlic, andphytonutrients. Billinghurst’s section on supplements is ratherdetailed, so ifyouhavean interest in feedingyourpetBARF,youwillwanttopurchasehisbook.

EthicsoftheRawPetDiet

In Being Vegan, Jo Stepaniak addresses the issue of the official veganperspectiveon feedingmeat toanimals.First, shesays that there isnotrueofficialveganopinionandthatthecommunityisconflicted.Shesaysthat dogs are able to eat a wide variety of foods and, with propersupplementation,maybeabletodowellonapredominatelyplant-baseddiet.Shealsonotesthatcatsrequiremeattothrive.Shedoesnotethatvegans often cite the anatomical differences between herbivores andcarnivoresasthereasonwhyhumansshouldbevegan.Catsareinfactdesignedtoeatanimalflesh.4Stepaniakconcludesbysayingthatfromamoral perspective wemust look at what is in the best interest of theanimalsinourcustody,evenifthesolutionsarelessthanidealgivenourownbeliefsystem.DeniseFlaim,inTheHolisticDogBook,describesamiddlegroundthat

may be workable. She talks about the anxiety that some pet ownersexperience when they are confronted with zealots who insist that it’stheir way or the highway. It seems that the concept of biochemicalindividuality applies to pets as well as their owners.5 At least thatappears to be the path recommended by Monica Segal, author of K9Kitchen:YourDogs’Diet:TheTruthBehindtheHype.Segalfoundthatdogsare highly individualistic. Whereas one dog may thrive on raw food,others may need cooked food. Some dogs may take well to certainmeats, while others do not.6 Trying different combinations until youarriveatasolutionthatworksforyourdog’shealthandyourconscienceisyourbeststrategy.

Conclusion

Agreatdealcomesundertheumbrellaoftherawandlivingfoodlifestyle.Dependingonyour currenthabits andyourperspective, the concept

canbeoverwhelming.Therearetwowaystoapproachtheinformationpresentedtoyouinthisbook.First,youcanapplytheinformationthatappealsmost to you. If you are not surewhere to begin, I offer somesuggestionsbelow.Second,youcanplungerightinandapplyasmanyofthesuggestionsaspossible.Thisapproachcanbeoverwhelmingforeventhemostdaring,so Ihaveprovidedrecommendations for this tacticaswell.If youwould like to apply the concepts inmoderation, I have listed

belowtenactionsyoumaywanttotake.Youcanincorporateoneortwoconcepts initially, andas thesebecomepartof yourdaily routine, youcan add a fewmore. If you are alreadypracticing twoormore of theconcepts, you may wish to apply the other seven or eightsimultaneously.Forthoseofyouwhoarenotcurrentlypracticinganyoftheideas,youmightwanttostartwithtwoorthreeofthesuggestions.Over time, another step you can take is to increase or broaden theactivity. For example, you can choose number four, decreasing yourrefinedsugarintakeby50percent.Inamonthortwo,youmaywanttodecrease your refined sugar intake by 75 percent and eventually yourrefined sugar intake may be zero. You can create your own twelve-monthplanbyusingtheinformationfromeachofthechapters.Activitiesyoucanundertakeifyouareapproachingtherawandliving

foodlifestyleinmoderationinclude:

1. Creatinganutritionalplan.2. Eatingmorefresh,organicfruitsandvegetables(someofthemraw)

eachday.3. Drinking fresh vegetable juice (preferably made from greens) atleastonceaweek.

4. Decreasingcurrentrefinedsugarintakeby50percent.5. LookingupthepHofatleastonefoodyoueatperday.IfthepHislessthan5,don’teatit.

6. Whenpurchasingbottledwater,selectwaterfrompuresourceslikeartesianwellsorspringsoverthosethatarelabeleddrinkingwater,sincethelatterisprobablyjustbottledtapwater.

7. Exercisingvigorously three timesperweek for thirtyminuteseachday.

8. Doingamediaorashoppingfastonedaypermonth.Thisincludesonlinemediaandonlineshopping!

9. Ifyouhavenevertakenayogaorameditationclass,trytakingone.Thenincorporateoneofthemintoyouractivitiesonceamonth,oronceaweekifyouprefer.

10. Researchingcomplementaryandalternativehealthcareprovidersinyour area and either attending a presentation they are giving orvisiting them.Askquestionsandanalyzewhyyoueitherwouldorwouldnotconsiderusingthepractitioner.

Activitiesyoucanundertakeifyouareapproachingtherawandlivingfoodlifestyleinamoreintensewayinclude:

1. Creating a complete nutritional VVMS and referring back to it atleastmonthlytoseeifyouareonthepathyoucreatedforyourself.Ifnot,determinewhetheryouneed tomodifyyourVVMSoryouractionsanddoso.

2. Eatingat least60percentofyourdietas fresh,organic,uncookedfruitsandvegetables.

3. Eatinguncookedordehydratedseeds,nuts,andsprouts.4. Drinkingfreshpressedvegetablejuicesdaily.5. Practicingtheveganlifestyleasmuchasispracticable.6. Engaginginafoodfastatleastoncepermonth.

7. Eating80percentofyourfoodswithaneutraloralkalinepHlevel.8. Meditatingdaily.Ifyoudonotcurrentlyhaveameditationpractice,try using one of the resources in the spirituality chapter to learnmoreanddevelopapractice.

9. Drinkingonlywaterfrompureandstructuredsources.Ifyoumustdrink tap water, using crystals to restructure the water for a fewhourspriortodrinking.

10. Practicing a daily fitness routine that includes yoga at least fourtimesperweek.

Astimepassesandthenewpracticesinyourlifebecomeestablishedpractices,rememberthatchangeisgood.Takeabriefbreakeveryonceinawhile.Trysomethingdifferentorchangethequalityorquantityofanactivityforashorttime.Theuseoffastingprovidesagoodexample.If youkeepdoing the same thingoverandoveragain, yourbodywilladapt—nomatterhowgood fasting is foryourbody—becauseyouarean adaptive organism. What was once a challenge and an interest toyourmetabolicprocesswillbecomeboringandeasy.Soeveryonceinawhile, you need to do something to jump-start yourmetabolism. Fastmore frequently, or for a different period of time, or do awater fast.Thereareotherapproachesyoucantakeaswell.Forexample,youcanmodify your fitness routine or increase or decrease the percentage offruitsandvegetablesyoueatdailyby10percent.Youcaneventakeabriefvacationfromoneormoreactivities.Remember,youareyourownbest experiment. By constantly being aware of your daily habits anddeterminingwhichprinciplesinthisbookworkordon’tworkforyou—andmaking appropriate changes—youwill likely lead a healthier andhappierlife.Goodluckandhavefun!

Glossary

Acidic foods—foods that contain little to no oxygen, including allsweets,grains,meats,fish,eggs,milkproducts,animalfats,coffee,tea,unripefruits,andalcohol.

Agave—a sweetener commercially produced in Mexico and thesouthwest United States, from several species of agave, a cactuslikeplant.

Ahimsa—nonviolence.

Alkalinefoods—fruits,vegetables,greens,andseavegetables.

Aminoacids—thebuildingblocksofproteinsandintermediariesinthebody’smetabolism.

Ayurvedicmedicine—integrates thebody,mind,and spirit topreventand treat disease and to promote wellness, and is one of the world’soldestmedical systems. In Ayurvedic philosophy, people, their health,and the universe are all thought to be related. Health problems canresultwhentheserelationshipsareoutofbalance.ThegoalofAyurvedicmedicineistocleansethebodyofsubstancesthatcancausediseaseandtoreestablishharmonyandbalance.

Bee pollen—the most complete food found in nature, according tosome.IthelpstosupporttheimmunesystemandishighinvitaminsA,

B, C, and E,minerals, proteins, amino acids, hormones, and enzymes.Bee pollen has also been shown to have a protective effect againstradiation. Gram for gram, pollen contains an estimated five to seventimesmoreproteinthanmeat,eggs,orcheese.Inaddition,theproteininpollenisinapredigestedformandiseasytoassimilateintothedigestivesystem.

Biochemical individuality—Roger Williams’ theory; based upon thefact that everyone has unique and specific, genetically determinednutritionrequirements.

Bioflavonoids—theseareaclassofwater-solubleplantpigments.Theycontain anti-inflammatory, antihistaminic, and antiviral agents. Theyblock the “sorbitol pathway” that is linked to many symptoms ofdiabetes. A type of phytonutrient, bioflavonoids also protect bloodvessels and reduce platelet aggregation (acting as natural bloodthinners).

Blue-GreenAlgae(alsoknownasE3Livealgaeorcrystalmanna)—asupplementthatisharvestedfromKlamathLakeinOregon.Itishighinprotein, chlorophyll, and vitamins, and it enhances both the immunesystemandbrainfunctionasitisnaturallyhighinneurotransmitters.

Cacao—rawseedsfromtheTheobromacacaotree.Theycanbeprocessedandcookedtocreatecocoa,fromwhichchocolateismade.

Camu-Camu(Myrciariadubia)—abush native to the SouthAmericanrain forest. It ishigher inminerals thananyotherAmazonianplant.Afresh berry, it contains thirty to sixty times more vitamin C than anorange.ThepowderistypicallyfoundinvitaminCsupplementcapsules.The Camu-Camu berry is a source of phosphorus, calcium, potassium,iron,andtheaminoacidsserine,valine,andleucine.SmallamountsoftheBvitaminsthiamine,riboflavin,andniacinarealsopresent.

Carbon filter—the second of three steps in ideal water purification.RemovesorganicandinorganicchemicalsthattheROunitcannot.

Carob—pods that grow on an evergreen shrub and are processed intochocolate-likepowderforuseasasweetenerinrecipes.

Carotenoids—a type of phytonutrient that is a natural, fat-solublepigmentfoundprincipallyinplants,algae,andphotosyntheticbacteria,wherecarotenoidsplayacriticalroleinthephotosyntheticprocess.

Chakra—aspinningsphereofbioenergeticactivity.Sixofthesechakras,orenergycenters,arestackedinacolumnofenergythatspansfromtheheadtothebaseofthespine.

Chi—Chinesewordthatreferstolifeforceorlifeenergy.

Chlorella—high-protein algae with about 5 grams of protein in oneteaspoon. It also contains high amounts of magnesium and the superdetoxifier chlorophyll. It contains two to five times the amount ofchlorophyll as spirulina. Chlorella is the best algae for pulling heavymetalsoutofthesystem.

Cocoa—thedriedandpartially fermented fatty seedof the cacao tree,fromwhichchocolateismade.

CrystalEnergy—adetoxifier and a patented formofminerals, rich insilica. The manufacturer of the substance claims that Crystal Energyhelps remove heavy metals from the body. They also state that itchallenges the symptoms of dehydration andminimizes the process ofaging.

D3—Vitamin D is best obtained directly from sunshine. However, incertainclimatesduringthewintermonths,thisisnotpossible.VitaminDsupplementsmaybenecessaryduringthosetimes.Anatural,organic(nonsynthetic)versionofvitaminDisthebest.

Dehydration—theprocessofheatingfoodsatamaximumtemperatureof100–120°F.Thispreservesdigestiveenzymesandincreasesthelifeofthefood.

Dosha—in Ayurveda, three qualities called doshas form importantcharacteristics of the individual’s constitution and body type.Practitioners of Ayurveda call the doshas by their original Sanskritnames:vata,pitta,andkapha.Eachdoshaismadeupofoneortwoofthefivebasicelements: space,air, fire,water,andearth.Eachdoshahasaparticular relationship tobody functionsandcanbeupset fordifferentreasons.Apersonhasherownbalanceofthethreedoshas,althoughonedoshausuallyisprominent.Doshasareconstantlybeingformedandre-formedbyfood,activity,andbodilyprocesses.Everyonehasadominantdosha,andAyurvedicpractitionersusetheindividual’sdoshatotreatthepatientanddesignnutritionalprograms.

Energytherapies—similartoquantumtheory,energytherapiesinvolvetheuseofenergyfields.Theyareoftwotypes:veritable,whichcanbemeasured,andputative,whichhaveyet tobemeasured.Theveritableenergies employ mechanical vibrations (such as sound) andelectromagnetic forces, including visible light, magnetism,monochromatic radiation (such as laser beams), and rays from otherpartsoftheelectromagneticspectrum.Incontrast,putativeenergyfields(also called biofields) have defied measurement by reproduciblemethods. Therapies involving putative energy fields are based on theconceptthathumanbeingsareinfusedwithasubtleformofenergy.Thisvital energy or life force is known by different names in differentcultures.

Enzymes—biomoleculesinthealimentarytractthatbreakdownfoodsothattheorganismcanabsorbit.

Enzyme inhibitors—present in seeds and nuts; can interferewith thebody’s enzyme production. Sprouting the seeds/nuts is said to reduceenzymeinhibitors.

Essenes—the first religious sect (second century BC) to describe,embrace,andpracticefastingandeatingrawfoodsforhealth.

Fasting—abstainingfromfoodforspiritual,physical,ormentalreasonsforaperiodoftime.Fastinghealsthebodyandridsthebodyoftoxins.

Flavonoids—polyphenols with potential beneficial effects on humanhealth. They have been reported to have antiviral, antiallergenic,antiplatelet,anti-inflammatory,antitumor,andantioxidantactivities.

Food combining—a principle that claims that the combination ofdifferentfoodseatenatonemealcaneitherhelporhinderdigestionandoverallhealth.

Fruitarian—thepracticeofadietthatexcludeseverythingbutfruitandcertainvegetables.

Glycemic load—gives a relative indication of howmuch a serving offoodislikelytoincreaseyourbloodsugarlevel.

Glycosides—sugar molecules that help remove toxic waste from thebody.

Juicing—processofseparatingtheliquidfromthefiber,consumingonly

theliquidfromthefruitorvegetable.

Kirlianphotography—photos taken by Semyon and Valentina Kirlianbyamachinethattheyadaptedtomeasureenergypatterns.

Kundalini yoga—a system of meditative techniques and movementswithin the yogic tradition that focuses on psycho-spiritual growth andthe body’s potential for maturation. The practice of kundalini yogaconsists of a number of bodily postures, expressive movements, andutterances, meditations, breathing patterns, and degrees ofconcentration.

Livingfoods—foodsthatstillhaveliveenzymescirculatinginthem.

Maca—a vaguely sweet, off-white powder. Maca root grows in themountainsofPeru.Itisaradishlikerootvegetablethatisrelatedtothepotatofamily.Arawsweetener.

Meditation—a state of concentrated attention, self-inquiry, andincreasedawareness.Itusuallyinvolvesturningtheattentioninwardtoa single point of reference, like breathing. Meditation practice helpsdevelopyourrelationshipswithyourselfandothers.Itisrecognizedasacomponent of most Eastern religions, where it has been practiced formorethatfivethousandyears.

Mesquite—atan-orange,sweet,andpungent-smellingpowder.Mesquitebushesgrowpods.Mesquitepowder is thenground from themesquitepods.High in protein, calcium,magnesium, potassium, iron, and zinc,withasweet,molassesliketaste.

MSM—a naturally occurring supplement with its roots in oceanicphytoplankton. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) is a sulfur-based,

naturallyoccurringcompound,andtheclosestchemicalrelativetoMSMis dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Available as a capsule or crystal to betakenorally.Inaddition,itisavailableincreamorlotion.

Nano B Complex—a liquid that contains living, not synthetic, Bvitamins to support the liver, immune system, heart, brain, andmoodbalance.ThesubstancecontainsvitaminsB1,B2,B3,B5,B6,andB12,folicacid,para-aminobenzoicacid(PABA),andbiotin.Thisproduct ismadeby Premier Research Labs. Individuals on a vegetarian or vegan dietcannot obtain their B vitamins from food sources since they occur inmeats or animal-based foods. Although the body has some ability tomanufacturevitaminB12andotherBvitaminsnaturally,noteveryone’sbodycanassimilate theseBvitaminswell, so theNanoBcomplexcanhelp give vegans the advantage they need in this area. Max Stress BNano-PlexisatypeofNanoBcomplex.

Naturopathic medicine—Western-based healing practice that focusesonthecauseoftheailment,notthesymptoms.

NCD(alsocalledZeolite)—NCDstandsforNaturalCellularDefense.Itisanenergysubstancemadefromacompoundthatpullsoutpesticides,radiation,metals,andotherchemicalsfromthebody.IthasbeenshowntohaveaprotectiveeffectagainstdiseaseslikehepatitisC.Zeolitesareextractedfromnaturalvolcanicrocks.Theyhaveacrystallineshapelikea honeycomb that helps trap and remove the heavy toxins andmetalsfromthecellsinyourbodyinasafe,naturalway.Itisonlyoneofthefewmineralsthatarenegativelycharged.Asaresult,zeoliteapparentlyattracts and draws the harmful metals and toxins in your body to it,capturesthem,andhelpsyourbodyremovethem.

Oligofructose—anaturallyoccurringsugar,whichthehumanbodydoesnotmetabolize.

Ozonated—water thathashadunstableoxygenmoleculesadded to it.Thisdestroysthefrequencypatternandthewaterisnolongerliving,asitlosesmostofitsstructureinthisprocess.

Panchakarma (Ayurveda)—a cleansing process; it focuses on thedigestive tract and the respiratory system. For the digestive tract,cleansingmaybedone throughenemas, fasting,or specialdiets.Somepatients receive medicated oils through a nasal spray or inhaler. Thispartoftreatmentisbelievedtoeliminatewormsorotheragentsthoughttocausedisease.

pH—the potential of hydrogen or the number of hydrogen ions in asubstance. Thehigher the number, themore acidic the substance. Thelowerthenumber,themorealkalinethesubstance.ApHof7isneutral,neitheracidicnoralkaline.

Phytonutrients—the category of components of plants thought topromote human health. Subcategories include carotenoids andflavonoids. Fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts, and teas are richsourcesofphytonutrients.

Phytoplankton—the component of plankton that produces organicsubstances from inorganic molecules and the sun—also known asphotosynthesis. Through photosynthesis, phytoplankton is responsiblefor 50 percent of the oxygen present in the earth’s atmosphere. As asupplement,phytoplanktonisbottledinawaythatpreservesthemarinephytoplankton in suspended animation, protecting the original lifeenergy. The high chlorophyll content of phytoplankton also increasesoxygenuptake.

Polyphenols—agroupofchemicalsubstancesfoundinplants.Researchindicates that polyphenols may have antioxidant characteristics withpotential health benefits similar to those in berries, olives, and other

fruitsandvegetables.

Predigestion—a process by which enzymes in raw foods digest theirown ingredients, thereby reducing the work of the human body’sdigestivesystem.

Probiotics—dietary supplements containing beneficial bacteria. Theyare live microorganisms that when administered in adequate amountsconfer a health benefit on the host. Claims are made that probioticsstrengthen the immune system to combat allergies, excessive alcoholintake,stress,exposuretotoxicsubstances,andotherdiseases.

Pure Synergy—a powder compound made from organic vegetables,fruits, and herbs. It contains sixty-two different ingredients, includingspirulina,KlamathLakealgae,chlorella, salina,kelp, Irishmoss,dulse,wheatgrass, kamut, and Chinese rejuvenation herbs. It also containsseveralmedicinalmushrooms.

Quartzcrystal—the final step of the three-step process in idealwaterpurification. The hexagonal structure of the quartz crystals willrearrange the water to its original structure. Crystals have their ownparticularvibrationofapreciseandmeasurableintensity.Thisvibrationattunesitselftohumanvibrationbetterthananyothergemormineral.Itcanalsoattuneitselftothevibrationofsubstanceslikewater.Quartzcrystalsareusedtoamplify,clarify,andstoreenergy.

Rawfood—foodthatisgrownandtheneateninitsuncookedform.

Reverse osmosis (RO)—the first of three steps in ideal waterpurification. RO removes bacteria, viruses, nitrates, fluorides, sodium,chlorine,particulatematter,heavymetals, asbestos,organic chemicals,anddissolvedminerals.

Spirulina—a complete protein; about 60 to 65 percent amino acids.ContainsBvitamins,minerals, chlorophyll, andphytonutrients.Oneofthe highest sources of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA)—an essential fattyacid(EFA)intheomega-6familythatisfoundprimarilyinplant-basedoils.

Sprouting—involvessoakingseeds,nuts,orbeansforseveralhoursuntilthe food begins to develop a tail-like protrusion on one end. Thesproutingofseedsneutralizesor inactivates theenzymeinhibitors.Thegood enzyme activity is at its height when the tail or the sprout isapproximatelyone-quarterinchlong.

Stevia—anherbusedasasweetenerinrawrecipes;idealforthosewithdiabetesbecauseofitslowglycemicload.Itcanbeusedinmanyforms,includingpowder,liquid,freshleaf,ordriedleaf.

Sustainable agriculture—an integrated system of plant and animalproductionpractices that have a site-specific application and thatwill,overthelongterm,(1)satisfyhumanfoodandfiberneeds,(2)enhanceenvironmental quality and the natural-resource base upon which theagricultural economy depends, (3) make the most efficient use ofnonrenewable resources and on-farm resources and integrate, whereappropriate, natural biological cycles and controls, (4) sustain theeconomicviabilityoffarmoperations,and(5)enhancethequalityoflifeforfarmersandsocietyasawhole.

Veganism—sixprinciplesinclude:(1)abstinencefromanimalproducts,(2)harmlessnesswithreverenceforlife,(3)integrityofthought,word,anddeed,(4)masteryoveroneself,(5)servicetohumanity,nature,andcreation,and(6)advancementofunderstandingandtruth.

Vegetarianism—the practice of a diet that excludes all animal flesh,includingpoultry, game, fish, shellfish, or crustacea, and slaughterby-

products.

Vitalzym X—helps boost enzyme production and is good forinflammation and injury. It boosts the immune system and has ananticancereffect. It isablendofenzymesandnutrients formulated foroptimalenergy.

Yacón—a sweet, tuberous root vegetable that produces rich, sweet,brownsyrup.

Yoga—means union. Although many think this term refers to unionbetween body and mind or body, mind, and spirit, the traditionalmeaning is the union between one’s individual consciousness and theUniversal Consciousness. Therefore, yoga refers to a certain state ofconsciousness as well as to methods that help one reach that goal orstateofunionwiththedivine.ItisagroupofancientpracticesusedforspiritualandphysicaldevelopmentthatoriginatedinIndia.

APPENDIX1

RawandLivingFoodUn-cookbooks

AngelFoods:HealthyRecipesforHeavenlyBodies—CherieSoria

TheCompleteBookofRawFood:Healthy,DeliciousVegetarianCuisineMadewithLivingFoods—LoriBairdandJulieRodwellEatingintheRaw:ABeginner’sGuidetoGettingSlimmer,FeelingHealthier,andLookingYoungertheRaw-FoodWay—CarolAltEatingWithoutHeating:FavoriteRecipesfromTeensWhoLoveRawFood—SergeiBoutenkoandValyaBoutenkoFresh:TheUltimateLive-FoodCookbook—SergeiBoutenkoandValyaBoutenkoGreenSmoothieRevolution:TheRadicalLeapTowardNaturalHealth—VictoriaBoutenkoIAmGrateful:RecipesandLifestyleofCaféGratitude—TercesEngelhartandOrchidLifeFoodRecipeBook:LivingonLifeForce—AnnieJubbandDavidJubbLivingCuisine:TheArtandSpiritofRawFoods—RenéeLouxUnderkofflerLivingFoodsforOptimumHealth:AHighlyEffectiveProgramtoRemoveToxinsandRestoreYourBodytoVibrantHealth—BrianR.ClementandTheresaFoyDigeronimoTheLivingFoodsLifestyle—BrendaCobb

LivingintheRaw:RecipesforaHealthyLifestyle—RoseLeeCalabroLivingonLiveFood—AlissaCohen

NakedChocolate—DavidWolfeandShazzie

RawFamily:ATrueStoryofAwakening—Victoria,Igor,Sergei,andValyaBoutenkoRawFamilySignatureDishes:AStep-by-StepGuidetoEssentialLive-FoodRecipes—VictoriaBoutenkoTheRawFoodDetoxDiet:TheFive-StepPlanforVibrantHealthandMaximumWeightLoss—NataliaRoseRawFoodLifeForceEnergy:EnteraTotallyNewStratosphereofWeightLoss,Beauty,andHealth—NataliaRoseRawFoodGourmet—

GabrielleChavez

RawFoodMadeEasyfor1or2People—JenniferCornbleet

RawFood/RealWorld:100RecipestoGettheGlow—MatthewKenneyandSarmaMelngailisRawFoodsforBusyPeople:SimpleandMachineFreeRecipesforEveryDay—JordanMaerinRaw:TheUncookBook:NewVegetarianFoodforLife—JulianoBrotmanandErikaLenkertTheRawTruth:TheArtofPreparingLivingFoods—JeremySafron

RAWvolution:GourmetLivingCuisine—MattAmsden

SweetGratitude:ANewWorldofRawDesserts—MatthewRogersandTizianaAlipoTamborraUnCookingwithJamethandKim:AllOriginal,Vegan&RawRecipes&UniqueInformationaboutRawVeganFoods—JamethSheridanandKimSheridan

APPENDIX2

WebSites

Siteaddress Whatfor?

Awesomefoods.com Mealsdelivered,orderbySundayat5p.m.

Bluecanoe.com Clothes

Cafegratitude.comRawfoodcafé,rawfoodWebstore,clothingandsupplies

CarolAlt.com Resources

Chimachine4u.comChimachinesandportableinfraredhothousesauna

Discountjuicers.com Teflexsheets

Dynamicgreens.comWheatgrassfrozeninpods—deliveredinovernightmailfromfamily-ownedorganicfarminCanada

e3live.comBlue-greenalgaesupplements,facecreams,kelpsoap

genefitnutrition.com YounguntreatedThaicoconuts

Gnosischocolate.comThirteendifferenttypesofraw,organicchocolatebars

Namashoyu,umevinegar,tamari,ume

Goldminenaturalfoods.com plums,teatreedentalfloss

Goodhumans.com Clothes,supplies

Goraw.com Bars,chocolate,seeds,granola

Healthforce.com Supplements

HighVibe.com

Rawfoods,rawchocolates,snacks,largestselectionofbooks,beautyproducts,appliances,foodgrownsupplements,freereceipes,detoxprograms,andmuchmore

Hippocratesinst.orgRawfoodretreats,treatmentforacuteandchronicconditions,fasting,training

Kingarthurflour.comMadagascarvanillabeanpaste,TheBaker’sCatalogue

Kookiekarma.com Cookies,granola,andcereal

Live-live.com Snacks,supplements

Livesuperfoods.com Chocolate,supplements,snacks

Livingintentions.comGoneNuts!seasonednuts,othernutproductsincludingchocolatecoverednuts

Livingnutz.com Nuts

Lotusbrands.com Teas,spices,herbs

Lovestreetlivingfoods.com Chocolate,nuts

Matterofflax.com Flaxseedcrackersandhummus

Mindfully.org Greenlivingresources

Mindfulnesstapes.comJonKabat-Zinn’smindfulnessmeditationCDs

MotherNature.com VitaminD3Mountainroseherbs.com Fresh,organicherbsandspices

Mrsmeyers.com Laundryandcleaningsupplies,soap

Naturalmedicine.comTeas,herbs,listofmedicaldisorderswithnaturaltreatmentsuggestions

NaturalZing.com Snacks

NatuRAW.com Snacks

Norwalkjuicers.com Greenjuicers(industrialstrength)

Oneluckyduck.com Snacks

Organicindiausa.com Tulsiteas,Ayurvedicsupplies

Palmbeachnutrition.com Probiotics

phisciences.com CrystalEnergy

Rawbakery.comCookies,brownies,cakes(recommendedbyNataliaRose)

Rawfamily.com VictoriaBoutenko’ssite

Rawfoodchef.comClasses,consultation,training,videos,LivingLightCulinaryArtsInstitute

Rawfoodexplained.comInformationonrawfoodandnutritiontheory

Rawforlife.com Information,recipes

Rawganique.com Clothes,snacks,staples

Rawguru.com

Rawicecream!Chocolatecoveredbananas,LivingVitaminBNano-Plex,zeolite,infraredsaunas(walk-in),ceramicknives,nutmilkbags,cleaverstoopencoconuts

RAWvolution.comMealsdeliveredweeklyiforderedbySaturday

Ruthshempfoods.com Hempseeds

Southrivermiso.com Chickpeaandadzukibeanmiso

Sproutrawfood.org Snacks—lemonsquaresarethebest

Sunfood.comDavidWolfeproducts,greensuperfoods,cacao,etc.

Sunorganicfarm.com Nuts,seeds,oils,spices

Superfoodsnacks.com Rawcacaoandgojiberrytreats

Therawdiet.com Sauerkrautcrock

Thewolfeclinic.comVitaminO,Vitalzym,farinfraredrayproducts

Tomberlies.comRawveganicecreamshippedovernightfromCalifornia

Treeoflife.nuGabrielCousens’trainingprograms,snacks,somesupplies,bakingneeds,retreats

Ulimana.com Rawchocolateproducts

umassmed.eduCenterforMindfulnessatUniversityofMassachusettsMedicalSchool

Wholespice.com Asafoetida(Hing)spice

APPENDIX3

MyPyramidNutritionandFitnessPrinciples

U.S.FoodPyramid…Leavin’ItAllUptoYou

Even the government recognizes the individuality of nutritional needs.They changed the structured food pyramid to one that is now calledMyPyramid. MyPyramid.gov is the Web site that contains nutritionalresources for each of us to build our own personalized food pyramid.The site allowsyou todesignyourownplanusingSteps to aHealthierYou criteria and guidance. Just as with any resource, you need toanalyze the credibility andappropriatenessof the information for you.Onethingyouneedtobeawareofistheinfluencebehindthissite.TheWebsitecontainsvaluableinformationandusefultools.However,don’ttake everything at face value. The government, by necessity, isinfluenced by every industry that affects the food market. Use theinformation on the MyPyramid.gov site as general guidance. Yourprimary criteria should bewhat is nutritious andwhatworks best foryou.Let’stalkaboutwhattheMyPyramidcandoforyou.First,itprovides

abasicstructurethatillustratestheimportanceofsomedegreeofvarietyinyourdiet.Althoughitmakessuggestionsaboutproportionsoftypesoffoods (based on the size of the color in the triangle) it does not giveabsolutepercentages.Youneedtodeterminethisforyourself.Second,itstresses the importance of certain foods. In particular, leafy greens,orangecoloredvegetables,andwholegrainsarespecificallysuggestedinthekey.Third,thepyramidgivesusa“vegetarian”optionbychangingthecategorythatwaspreviouslydedicatedtomeatandpoultrytoanewdesignation,“Meat&Beans.”Fourth, thepyramidgivesusadairy-free

option. Ifwecannot toleratedairyproducts,weareencouraged touselactose-free products instead. And, fifth, healthy cooking options arestressed.Theseincludethesuggestiontobake,broil,orgrillourmeats.The figurebelow is thenew foodpyramid introducedby the federalgovernment in 2005. This pyramid may create more questions thananswers.What it undoubtedlydoes is leave thedecisionmakingup toyou. The site provides tools for you to input your age, gender, andactivitylevelandwillmakedifferentsuggestionsaboutwhatyoushouldeat. But even then, the suggestions are fairly general andwill requireyoutomakethefinaldecisionaboutwhatyoueatandhowmuch.

MyPyramidKey

ColorFoodgroup

SamplecommentsfromtheMyPyramid.govsite

Orange Grains eatwholegrains

Green Veggies darkgreenandorange

Red Fruits variety,includingfresh,limitjuices

Yellow Oils mostfromfish,nuts,vegetableoils

Blue Milklowornonfat…ifyoucannottoleratedairyproducts,golactose-free

Meat& lowfat/lean,varychoices…bake,

Purple Beans broil,grill

ThefollowingtopicsarespecificallyaddressedontheMyPyramid.govWebsite.Theseprovideadditional insight into thephilosophyand therationale behind the new pyramid. It is important to remember theorigin of the MyPyramid is the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Theorigin shapes the philosophy. And as with any government-designedprogram, there aremany interest groups looking to be kept happy. Sothe designers needed to consider cattle ranchers, dairy farmers, beangrowers, and many others in finalizing this plan. The influence ofinterest groups should not mean that we automatically dismiss thecredibilityorusefulnessofthetool.Trustyouranalyticalskillsanddon’ttakeeverythingatfacevalue.Moreimportantly,usetheinformationyouknowaboutyourselfandwhatworksforyou,andapplythattothefoodpyramidtomakeitrelevanttoyou.

TopicsAddressedbytheUSDAontheMyPyramid.govWebSite

OneSizeDoesn’tFitAll

The USDA’s new MyPyramid symbolizes a personalized approach tohealthyeatingandphysicalactivity.Thesymbolhasbeendesignedtobesimple.Ithasbeendevelopedtoremindconsumerstomakehealthyfoodchoicesandtobeactiveeveryday.Thedifferentpartsofthesymbolaredescribedbelow.

Activity

Activityisrepresentedbythestepsandthepersonclimbingthem,asareminderoftheimportanceofdailyphysicalactivity.

Moderation

Moderation is represented by the narrowing of each food group frombottomtotop.Thewiderbasestandsforfoodswithlittleornosolidfats

oraddedsugars.Theseshouldbeselectedmoreoften.Thenarrowertopareastands for foodscontainingmoreaddedsugarsandsolid fats.Themoreactiveyouare,themoreofthesefoodsyoucanfitintoyourdiet.

Personalization

Personalizationisshownbythepersononthesteps,theslogan,andtheURL. Find the kinds and amounts of food to eat each day at theMyPyramid.gov.site. The theory of biochemical individuality is similartothefocusonindividualityofMyPyramid.

Proportionality

Proportionalityisshownbythedifferentwidthsofthefoodgroupbands.Thewidths suggesthowmuch foodaperson should choose fromeachgroup.Thewidthsarejustageneralguide,notexactproportions.ChecktheWebsiteforhowmuchisrightforyou.

Variety

Variety is symbolizedby thesixcolorbandsrepresenting the five foodgroups and oils of theMyPyramid. This illustrates that foods from allgroupsareneededdailyforgoodhealth.

GradualImprovement

The slogan “Steps to a Healthier You” suggests that individuals canbenefit fromtakingsmall steps to improve theirdietand lifestyleeachday.

Notes

Introduction

1.Merriam-Webster’sCollegiateDictionary,11thedition(Springfield,MA:Merriam-Webster,Inc.,2003).

2.S.E.FrostJr.,BasicTeachingsoftheGreatPhilosophers(NewYork:AnchorBooks,1989).

3.EdmondBordeauxSzekely,EsseneGospelofPeace:BookOne(BritishColumbia:InternationalBiogenicSociety,1981),36.

4.“StandardAmericanDiet(SAD),”AskDrSears,SearsFamilyPediatrics,www.askdrsears.com/html/4/T044900.asp.

5.NataliaRose,RawFoodLifeForceEnergy(NewYork:HarperCollins,2007).

6.NataliaRose,TheRawFoodDetoxDiet(NewYork:HarperCollins,2005).

7.T.ColinCampbellandThomasM.CampbellII,TheChinaStudy:TheMostComprehensiveStudyofNutritionEverConductedandtheStartlingImplicationsforDiet,WeightLossandLong-termHealth(Dallas:BenbellaBooks,2005).

8.T.ColinCampbell,“America’sHonestNutritionResearcher,”LivingNutrition(2005):vol.17.

9.GabrielCousens,SpiritualNutrition:SixFoundationsforSpiritualLifeandtheAwakeningofKundalini(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2005),340.

10.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000),234.

11.GabrielCousens,SpiritualNutrition:SixFoundationsforSpiritualLifeandtheAwakeningofKundalini(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2005),197.

Chapter1

1.RenéeLouxUnderkoffler,LivingCuisine:TheArtandSpiritofRawFoods(NewYork:AveryPublishing,2003).

Chapter2

1.OxfordEnglishDictionary,SixthEdition(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2007).

2.RogerJ.Williams,BiochemicalIndividuality:TheKeytoUnderstandingWhatShapesYourHealth(NewCanaan,CT:KeatsPublishing,1998),190.

3.PreambletotheConstitutionoftheWorldHealthOrganizationasadoptedbytheInternationalHealthConference,NewYork,19June–22July1946;signedon22July1946bytherepresentativesof61states(OfficialRecordsoftheWorldHealthOrganization,no.2,100)andenteredintoforceon7April1948.Thedefinitionhasnotbeenamendedsince1948.

4.JackLaLanne,BeFitEnterprises,www.jacklalanne.com.

5.LanceArmstrongwithSallyJenkins,It’sNotAbouttheBike:MyJourneyBacktoLife(NewYork:BerkleyPublishingGroup,2001),1.

Chapter3

1.SusannahandLeslieKenton,TheNewRawEnergy(London:RandomHouse,1994).

2.MaxGerson,ACancerTherapy:ResultsofFiftyCases(SanDiego:TheGersonInstitute,1997),9.

3.HerbertM.Shelton,GettingWell(Whitefish,MT:KessingerPublishing,Inc.,1917),14.

Chapter4

1.OxfordEnglishDictionary,SixthEdition(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2007).

2.EdwardHowell,EnzymeNutrition(NewYork:PenguinPutnam,1985),141.

3.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000),528.

4.EdwardHowell,EnzymeNutrition(NewYork:PenguinPutnam,1985),120.

5.Wholefoodsaredefinedasfoodsandfoodingredientsthat(1)areasclosetotheirnaturalstateaspossible;(2)havenotbeenhighlyprocessedorrefined;(3)havenothadanythingtakenawayoraddedtothemtodecreasetheirquality;(4)arenutritionallydenseandhealthenhancing;(5)includewholegrains,legumes,vegetables,fruits,nuts,andseeds.SeeVictoriaLaine,HealthbyChocolate(Edmonton,Alberta:OwlMedicineBooks,2008).

6.OxfordEnglishDictionary,SixthEdition(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2007).

7.SallyFallon,NourishingTraditions:TheCookbookThatChallengesPoliticallyCorrectNutritionandtheDietDictocrats(Washington,DC:NewTrendsPublishing,Inc.,1999).

8.JoStepaniak,BeingVegan:LivingwithConscience,Conviction,andCompassion(Lincolnwood,IL:LowellHouse,2000).

9.MasaruEmoto,TheHiddenMessagesinWater(NewYork:AtriaBooks,2001).

10.NataliaRose,RawFoodLifeForceEnergy(NewYork:HarperCollins,2007).

11.NataliaRose,RawFoodLifeForceEnergy(NewYork:HarperCollins,2007),31.

12.“QuantumPhysics+SCIO,”HarmonyHealthNaturalTherapiesClinic,http://www.harmonyhealth.net.au/quantum.php.

13.FritjofCapra,TheTaoofPhysics(Boston:ShambhalaPublications,Inc.,1991),68.

14.WilliamArntz,BetsyChasse,andMarkVicente,WhattheBleepDoWeKnow!?(DeerfieldBeach,FL:HCI,2005),56.

15.N.W.Walker,BecomeYounger(St.George,UT:NorwalkPress,1949).

16.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000),298.

17.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000).

18.NataliaRose,RawFoodLifeForceEnergy(NewYork:HarperCollins,2007),59.

19.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000),550.

20.NataliaRose,RawFoodLifeForceEnergy(NewYork:HarperCollins,2007).

21.HippocratesHealthInstitute,www.hippocratesinst.org.

Chapter5

1.DavidWolfeandShazzie,NakedChocolate(SanDiego:MaulBrothersPublishing,2005),29.

2.DavidWolfe’sSuperfoods:TheFoodsandMedicineoftheFuture,2009,NorthAtlanticBooks.

3.Bitterchocolateisahighmagnesiumfood.SeeMildredSeelig,TheMagnesiumFactor(NewYork:AveryPublishing,2003),265.Inaddition,DavidWolfeandAlissaCohenclaimthatrawcacaobeanshaveasignificantamountofmagnesium.Theauthorhasbeenunabletofindclaimstorefutethis.Theauthorhasalsobeenunabletofindscholarlypublishedjournalsattestingtothisclaimeither.

4.MildredSeelig,TheMagnesiumFactor(NewYork:AveryPublishing,2003).

5.HealththruNaturalScience,NutritionalData,Inc.,www.nutritionaldata.com.

6.RichardBeliveau,FoodstoFightCancer(NewYork:DKPublishing,2007).

7.VictoriaLaine,HealthbyChocolate(Edmonton,Alberta:OwlMedicineBooks,2008).

8.CarlKeen,RobertaR.Holt,PatriciaI.Oteiza,CésarG.Fraga,andHaroldH.Schmitz,“CocoaAntioxidantsandCardiovascularHealth,”KeenLab–UniversityofCalifornia,Davis(2005),http://keenlab.ucdavis.edu/articles/Keen529ajcn05.pdf.

9.CatherineAnnRauch,“Chocolate:AHeart-HealthyConfection,”CNN(2000),http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/diet.fitness/02/02/chocolate.wmd/#0

10.WinifredRosenandAndrewT.Weil,FromChocolatetoMorphine:EverythingYouNeedtoKnowaboutMind-AlteringDrugs(NewYork:HoughtonMifflin,2004),10.

11.AnitaA.Johnston,EatingintheLightoftheMoon:HowWomenCanTransformTheirRelationshipwithFoodthroughMyths,Metaphors,andStorytelling(Carlsbad:GurzeBooks,1996),47.

12.WinifredRosenandAndrewWeil,FromChocolatetoMorphine:EverythingYouNeedtoKnowaboutMind-AlteringDrugs(NewYork:Houghton-Mifflin,2004),15.

13.JenniferCornbleet,RawFoodMadeEasy(Summertown:BookPublishingCompany,2005),39.

14.Theglycemicloadisthemostpracticalwaytoapplytheglycemicindextodietingandiseasilycalculatedbymultiplyingafood’sglycemicindex(asapercentage)bythenumberofnetcarbohydratesinagivenserving.glycemicloadgivesarelativeindicationofhowmuchthatservingoffoodislikelytoincreaseyourbloodsugarlevels.HealththruNaturalScience,NutritionalData,Inc.,www.nutritionaldata.com.

15.HealththruNaturalScience,NutritionalData,Inc.,

www.nutritionaldata.com.

Chapter6

1.WilliamDufty,SugarBlues(NewYork:WarnerBooks,1975).

2.HealththruNaturalScience,NutritionalData,Inc.,www.nutritionaldata.com.

3.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000).

4.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000),611.

5.GabrielCousens,RainbowGreenLive-FoodCuisine(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2005).

6.Vegetus.org,veganandvegetarianhumorandinformation,www.vegetus.org.

7.GeorgeMateljan,TheWorld’sHealthiestFoods(GMFPublishing,2006).

8.NaturalNews.com,NaturalHealth,NaturalLiving,NaturalNews;NaturalNews“TheHealingPowerofHoney.”Network,www.newstarget.com/021506.html.

9.“DiabetesNaturalTreatmentBasedonYacón,”PERUherbals,Peruherbals,Inc.,www.peruherbals.com/3030/yacón.html.

Chapter7

1.MasaruEmoto,TheHiddenMessagesinWater(NewYork:AtriaBooks,2004),23.BeyondWordspublishing,2004

2.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000).

3.CarltonHazelwood,AViewoftheSignificanceandUnderstandingofthePhysicalPropertiesofCell-AssociatedWater(NewYork:AcademicPress,1979).

4.SusanBrownandLarryTrivieriJr.,TheAcid-AlkalineFoodGuide(GardenCityPark,NY:SquareOnePublishers,2006).

5.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000).

6.“QuartzCrystals,”LlewellynEncyclopedia,www.llewellynencyclopedia.com/article/272.

7.BarbaraHendelandPeterFerreira,WaterandSalt:TheEssenceofLifeNaturalResources,Inc.,2003).

8.BarbaraHendelandPeterFerreira,WaterandSalt:TheEssenceofLifeNaturalResources,Inc.,2003).

Chapter8

1.BarbaraHendelandPeterFerreira,WaterandSalt:TheEssenceofLifeNaturalResources,Inc.,2003).

2.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000).

3.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000).

4.SusanBrownandLarryTrivieriJr.,TheAcid-AlkalineFoodGuide(GardenCityPark,NY:SquareOnePublishers,2006),19.

5.NataliaRose,RawFoodLifeForceEnergy(NewYork:HarperCollins,2007).

6.Dr.OttoWarburg,“ThePrimeCauseandPreventionofCancer”(lecturedeliveredtoNobellaureatesatLindau,LakeConstance,Germany,June30,1966).

7.TheLiving&RawFoodDiet,AlissaCohen,www.alissacohen.com.

Chapter9

1.“Photosynthesis,”FactMonster.©2000–2006PearsonEducation,publishingasFactMonster.09Mar.2009

www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0775714.html.

2.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000).

Chapter10

1.E3Live,theAll-OrganicFeelGoodFood;E3Live/Vision,www.E3live.com.

2.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000).

3.DavidWolfe,“Superfoods”(handoutgiventoaccompanyspeechdeliveredtoInstituteforIntegrativeNutrition,NewYork,NewYork,November24,2007).

4.GabrielCousens,ConsciousEating(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2000),612.

5.MichaelF.Holick,TheUVAdvantage:TheMedicalBreakthroughThatShowsHowtoHarnessthePoweroftheSunforYourHealth(NewYork:Ibooks,Inc.,2007),157.

6.“HealthandNutritionalPropertiesofProbioticsinFoodIncludingPowderMilkwithLiveLacticAcidBacteria,”reportofaJointFAO/WHOExpertConsultationonEvaluationofHealthandNutritionalPropertiesofProbioticsinFoodIncludingPowderMilkwithLiveLacticAcidBacteria,FAO/WHO,2001.

Chapter12

1.TheAnnWigmoreFoundation:SharingtheLivingFoodLifestyle,TheAnnWigmoreFoundation,www.wigmore.org.

2.Dr.OttoWarburg,“ThePrimeCauseandPreventionofCancer”(lecturedeliveredtoNobellaureatesatLindau,LakeConstance,Germany,June30,1966).

3.CharlotteGersonandBeataBishop,HealingtheGersonWay:DefeatingCancerandOtherChronicDiseases(Carmel,CA:TotalityBooks,2007),

152.

4.NormanW.Walker,TheNaturalWaytoVibrantHealth(Prescott,AZ:NorwalkPress,1972).

5.T.ColinCampbellandThomasM.Campbell,II,TheChinaStudy:TheMostComprehensiveStudyofNutritionEverConductedandtheStartlingImplicationsforDiet,WeightLossandLong-termHealth(Dallas:BenbellaBooks,2005).

6.“AyurvedicMedicine,”NCCAM,NationalCenterforComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine,www.nccam.nih.gov/health/ayurveda/#dosha.

7.JohnDouillard,The3-SeasonDiet:EattheWayNatureIntended(NewYork:ThreeRiversPress,2000).

8.RonaldL.Hoffman,IntelligentMedicine:AGuidetoOptimizingHealthandPreventingIllnessfortheBaby-BoomerGeneration(Wichita,KS:Fireside,1997).

9.RonaldL.Hoffman,HowtoTalkwithYourDoctor:TheGuideforPatientsandTheirPhysiciansWhoWanttoReconcileandUsetheBestofConventionalandAlternativeMedicine(LagunaBeach,CA:BasicHealthPublications,2006).

10.MehmetOz,HealingfromtheHeart:ALeadingSurgeonCombinesEasternandWesternTraditionstoCreatetheMedicineoftheFuture(Plume,1999).

11.MichaelF.RoizenandMehmetOz,YOU:TheOwner’sManual:AnInsider’sGuidetotheBodyThatWillMakeYouHealthierandYounger(NewYork:HarperCollins,2005).

12.AndrewWeil,SpontaneousHealing:HowtoDiscoverandEmbraceYourBody’sNaturalAbilitytoMaintainandHealItself(NewYork:BallantineBooks,1995).

Chapter13

1.RandomHouseDictionary(NewYork:RandomHouse,1997).

2.JonKabat-Zinn,WhereverYouGo,ThereYouAre(NewYork:Hyperion,1994),264–265.

3.BillHiggins,“S.N.GoenkaAddressesPeaceSummit,”NewYorkTimes,August29,2000.

4.“TheArtofLiving:VipassanaMeditation,”S.N.Goenka,www.dhamma.org/en/art.shtml.

5.CharlotteJokoBeck,EverydayZen:LoveandWork(SanFrancisco:HarperCollins,1989),26.

6.JonKabat-Zinn,WhereverYouGo,ThereYouAre(NewYork:Hyperion,1994),3–4.

7.JonKabat-Zinn,ComingtoOurSenses:HealingOurselvesandtheWorldthroughMindfulness(NewYork:Hyperion,2005),22.

8.GabrielCousens,SpiritualNutrition:SixFoundationsforSpiritualLifeandAwakeningofKundalini(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2005).

Chapter14

1.ElsonM.HaasandBuckLevin,StayingHealthywithNutrition:TheCompleteGuidetoDietandNutritionalMedicine(Berkeley:CelestialArtsPublishing,2006).

2.LindaBrooks,ReboundingandYourImmuneSystem:OptimalSupportforYourBody’sNaturalDefense(UrbanaOH:VitallyYoursPress,2003),29.

3.Youcanlearnmoreaboutthesestudiesandresearch.SeeMarleeMatlin,ElaineHendrix,JohnRossBowie,andRobertBaileyJr.,WhattheBleepDoWeKnow!?(LordoftheWindFilms,LLC,2004).MichaelJ.Losier,LawofAttraction:TheScienceofAttractingMoreofWhatYouWantandLessofWhatYouDon’t(NewYork:HachetteBookGroup,2003).RichardP.Feynman,SixEasyPieces(NewYork:PerseusPublishing,2005).

4.SivanandaYogaVedantaCentre,YogaMindandBody(NewYork:DKPublishing,1998).

5.SivanandaYogaVedantaCentre,YogaMindandBody(NewYork:DKPublishing,1998).

6.SivanandaYogaVedantaCentre,YogaMindandBody(NewYork:DKPublishing,1998).

Chapter15

1.OxfordEnglishDictionary,SixthEdition(NewYork:OxfordUniversityPress,2007).

2.JoStepaniak,BeingVegan:LivingwithConscience,Conviction,andCompassion(Lincolnwood,IL:LowellHousePublishing,2000).

3.JoStepaniak,BeingVegan:LivingwithConscience,Conviction,andCompassion(Lincolnwood,IL:LowellHousePublishing,2000),27.

4.JoStepaniak,BeingVegan:LivingwithConscience,Conviction,andCompassion(Lincolnwood,IL:LowellHousePublishing,2000).

5.NataliaRose,RawFoodLifeForceEnergy(NewYork:HarperCollins,2007).

6.GabrielCousens,SpiritualNutrition:SixFoundationsforSpiritualLifeandtheAwakeningofKundalini(Berkeley:NorthAtlanticBooks,2005).

7.JohnRobbins,TheFoodRevolution:HowYourDietCanHelpSaveYourLifeandOurWorld(SanFrancisco:ConariPress,2001).

8.JohnRobbins,TheFoodRevolution:HowYourDietCanHelpSaveYourLifeandOurWorld(SanFrancisco:ConariPress,2001),208.

9.JohnRobbins,TheFoodRevolution:HowYourDietCanHelpSaveYourLifeandOurWorld(SanFrancisco:ConariPress,2001),309.

10.JohnRobbins,TheFoodRevolution:HowYourDietCanHelpSaveYourLifeandOurWorld(SanFrancisco:ConariPress,2001),347.

11.JohnRobbins,TheFoodRevolution:HowYourDietCanHelpSaveYourLifeandOurWorld(SanFrancisco:ConariPress,2001),350.

Chapter16

1.JohnRobbins,TheFoodRevolution:HowYourDietCanHelpSaveYourLifeandOurWorld(SanFrancisco:ConariPress,2001),xiii.

2.JohnRobbins,ReclaimingOurHealth:ExplodingtheMedicalMythandEmbracingtheSourceofTrueHealing(Tiburon,CA:H.J.KramerPublishing,1998),6–7.

3.J.RodinandJ.E.Langer,“Long-termEffectsofControl-relevantInterventionwiththeInstitutionalizedAged,”JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology(1997):vol.35,no.12,897–902.

4.JohnRobbins,TheFoodRevolution:HowYourDietCanHelpSaveYourLifeandOurWorld(SanFrancisco:ConariPress,2001).

Chapter17

1.BARFDiet—Healthy&NaturalRawFoodforDogs&Cats,BARFWorldInc.,www.barfworld.com.

2.IanBillinghurst,TheBARFDiet:RawFeedingforDogsandCatsUsingEvolutionaryPrinciples(N.S.W.,Australia:IanBillinghurst,2001),2.

3.DeniseFlaim,TheHolisticDogBook:CanineCareforthe21stCentury(Indianapolis,IN:WileyandCompany,2003).

4.JoStepaniak,BeingVegan:LivingwithConscience,Conviction,andCompassion(Lincolnwood,IL:LowellHousePublishing,2000).

5.DeniseFlaim,TheHolisticDogBook:CanineCareforthe21stCentury(Indianapolis,IN:WileyandCompany,2003).

6.MonicaSegal,www.monicasegal.com.

Copyright©2008,2009byRuthannRusso.Allrightsreserved.Noportionofthisbook,exceptforbriefreview,maybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans—electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,orotherwise—withoutthewrittenpermissionofthepublisher.ForinformationcontactNorthAtlanticBooks.

PublishedbyNorthAtlanticBooksP.O.Box12327Berkeley,California94712

FirstpublishedbyDJIberPublishingInc.in2008

TheRawFoodLifestyleissponsoredbytheSocietyfortheStudyofNativeArtsandSciences,anonprofiteducationalcorporationwhosegoalsaretodevelopaneducationalandcross-culturalperspectivelinkingvariousscientific,social,andartisticfields;tonurtureaholisticviewofarts,sciences,humanities,andhealing;andtopublishanddistributeliteratureontherelationshipofmind,body,andnature.

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LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData

Russo,Ruthann.Therawfoodlifestyle:thephilosophyandnutritionbehindrawandlivefoods/RuthannRusso.p.cm.eISBN:978-1-55643949-01.Rawfooddiet.2.Rawfoods.3.Nutrition—Philosophy.I.Title.RM237.5.R8742009613.2′6—dc22

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