Raw Food Health Benefits

Hi everyone:

I have a quick question. I am hypothyroid for 8 years. I just started making smoothies for breakfast in an effort to be healthier. The veggies I use in the smoothies are: Zucchini, Cucumbers, Carrots, lettuce, and I add apples for a little sweetness. Well, the weird thing is that instead of feeling better, I am feeling worse. Does anyone know why this is happening? please I would love to hear you guys thoughts on this cause I am very confused now. Thanks guys.

I saw David Wolfe's video this morning from the TEDxHelsinki on his "Passion for Chocolate" and all it's health benefits, so I thought I'd post it for all of you to look at.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7R5Ty1XfqE&feature=player_embedded

Garlic and basil leaves is my favorite. They are a good natural healers for me!

To Tashimoto from Vancouver: Hi, cheaper blenders may blend OK to the eye and the taste buds but they are no good for serious health correction as the violence of the way they blend (centrifugal force) destroys all the enzymes present! Enzymes are the major plank in restoring health health. That's why it's best to invest a bit more and get a "masticating" blender which grinds slowly.... especially if you are a cancer patient.

All the best, Kev

I have a vitamix that I love. I have seen used ones for sale at health food stores. They were much more affordable and, considering how well they are made, I would consider starting there. A new one is too expensive for now.

Check this article: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2004070/The-appeal-peel-The-surprising-ways-fruit-veg-skins-work-wonders-looks.html

This newspaper comes with articles about eating the peel of the fruits quite regularly and although I don't doubt how good they are for the health I also think that one is running the risk of taking in too many harmful chemicals! They never talk about that!

Loren: I've recently switched to a raw lifestyle as well. After having done a lot of research and read what raw and non raw foodists have written, I made the decision to purchase a Vitamix. Yes, it's definitely an investment but in my opinion I'm worth the extra money. It performs well and has an awesome 7 year warranty. The company's been around for ages so that's pretty comforting. My naturopath has had one for over 10 years and she tells me it runs like new. I use if several times a day and I'm totally thrilled with it. Because it is so powerful, it's able to break down the cell walls of your food releasing more nutrients which means your body's able to better absorb all its goodness with a lot less effort on your part. If money is tight right now, just buy a blender and start blending; it's a good start. Blendtec is also another one that the raw and non-raw community recommends very highly. I bought one initially but returned it for the Vitamix because I like the manual controls of the latter. Hope this helps.

I have a Tribest personal blender, which is very good. I use it to make smoothie, soups, salsas and sauces. The Oster Fusion is also an inexpensive and good blender. Check the reviews online.

Acid reflux-
30 second CURE!!! Dill pickle juice... I'm serious, just go to the re-fridge, open the jar, take a sip and within 30 seconds your heartburn, and acid reflux is GONE!!! Hello--No more pills! Your welcome :)

I bought the Montel Williams HealthMaster Fruit & Vegetable Emulsifier from an infomercial. It costs about $200. I love, love, love it.

I would just like to add that the Oscar also has a device to mince meat but you have to buy it separately. Here in countries like France (at least in my area) it is hardly possible anymore to have them mince pork in the shop (I don't like buying meat already minced and I like a mixture of beef and pork), I think because of problems with Muslims so the only option is to mince it at home.

For soups I actually never use the juicer, although I could, I use a much simpler device which is a staff mixer. They come in all prices, also very cheap and do the job very well. I have used them all my life!

Thank you all so much for your response to my question about the blender. I really do appreciate it.

My masticating juicer, an Oscar, makes smoothies, juices, fresh pasta, baby food and bread sticks. I think that the most important thing is that it doesn't warm up the smoothie or juice, at least that seems to me to be the most important after doing quite a bit of research on the Internet before buying mine. Also in the books I have they all recommend a masticating juicer. The other thing is that as all the vitamines and enzymes stay alive you can keep your juice up to 48 hours (which we never do but my husband does drink his in the evening when he comes home and even the colour still looks great). They are more expensive than a lot of blenders but then they come in different prices. The Oscar was not cheap and to be honest if I had been able to try it before I bought it I wouldn't have bought it but still, I would have bought a masticating juicer! The juices and smoothies are great, you can even choose how much fiber you leave in them, the pasta and bread sticks I have never tried but I find that the machine has a few problems like juice getting into the entrance of the motor and so, not what you would expect for that price. But.... we do fully enjoy our juices and smoothies and it juices everything under the sun!

Loren, I use a Black & Decker Cyclone for my green smoothies. It works just fine. I have blended fresh beets, passion fruit, avocado, bananas, spinach and kale & frozen fruit. Not all at the same time however. Good luck on your raw food effort.

Hi,

We own a Blendtec blender which is expensive, like the Vitamix. This past winter on vacation, we had to use a simple $35 blender to make our green smoothies - and you know what?! They were great. Almost as good as our home blender that cost ten times as much. I mean, really - you're ingesting all the pulp, etc. with a blended drink anyway - does it really make all that much difference if it is blended totally smooth or almost totally smooth? I don't think so.

Loren, there is not another blender that will do what a Vitamix does. I tried them all, even Kitchenaide, and I was trying to drink chunks. A Vitamix makes green smoothies as smooth as a milkshake. I add a scoop of whey protein powder to mine and they are wonderful and so good for you. You can sometimes find a used one on ebay but I would suggest buying one and paying it out if you have to. Good luck. Carolyn

Hi everyone: I am trying to start the raw food diet but I really need help with getting the right blender. Is there anything as good as the vitamix but more affordable? I would have purchased the vitamix but this is too expensive. Please help someone!!! Thank you all.

Dirty Dozen... good advice on what foods you should buy organic...
http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/VDR00022/Dr-Weil-EWG-Shoppers-Guide-to-Pesticides.html

Natural Food Recipes:

Zucchini Pasta with Marinara..

Cut off ends-Ribbon to Zucchini with peeler
Sauce: Food Processor (blender)

Tomatoes chopped- Raw
Red Bell Pepper chopped-raw
Sun Dried Tomatoes dry (soaked in water) or oil packed

Seasoning for Sauce:
Garlic Cloves (1-2 chopped)
Basil & Oregano (fresh)
Sea salt (only a little)
EVOO (olive oil) 2 TBS
Red Pepper (pinch)
Black Pepper (pinch)

Wait for last minute to put on zucchini so it doesn't get watery.

Top with a sprinkle of Mozzerella cheese
dash of sea salt
sprinkle of crushed red peppers!

eat parsley after the garlic no smell at all

My husband had acid reflux really bad for many years. He now takes apple cider vinegar in his water daily and had not had anymore problems with acid reflux. He has been taking the vinegar for almost five years and he swears by it.

here is a recipe for chia seed pudding:

1 cup Chia Seeds
1 cup total combined raw nuts: almonds, walnuts & macadamias
_ to _ cup of organic shredded coconut
_ plus cups of agave nectar (stevia or maple syrup can be used)
Vanilla
1 tsp. Cinnamon
Pinch of good Salt (sea, celtic, redmond's, red salt, etc.)

1. Place the almonds, walnuts and macadamias nut in a bowl and cover with good filtered water for 1-4 hours.

2. Put the chia seeds in a large mixing bowl (it must be able to hold 8-10 cups) and pour 6 cups of good filtered water over the seeds, and stir with a wire whisk. Stir a second time in another 15 minutes. This keeps the seeds from clumping.

3. After the nuts have soaked (referred to as activating), drain off the water, put the nuts in a blender along with the coconut, agave nectar, Vanilla, Cinnamon and salt. Add one cup of filtered water to the blender, and whirl on high for a couple of minutes until everything is a smooth milky consistency.

4. Pour the mixture into the bowl with the chia seeds and whisk until blended. And it is done!

5. Store in a glass jar in the frig.

it is super yummy!

Thank you so much for the advice and recipes Selena! I started my research yesterday and ended up buying 3 books on Amazon on raw food diets. Also found a number of websites that have what looks to be delicious recipes like sunburgers (made from sunflower seeds) and butterscotch pudding (bananas, dates, apricots, almonds and vanilla). Looking forward to trying your recipes as well!! Thanks again. Kimberly.

I love doing raw food fasts. It has never given me diarrhea though. Guess it depends on what you eat. The most important thing is to be prepared. Make a list and go to the grocery store on a full stomach. I am already a skinny person so I do not worry about the weight loss effects. I always base my food choices from a Health stand point and not a "weight" issue. When I fast with raw foods, I eat lots of avocadoes and soaked nuts (I suffer from hypoglycemia and this helps). They are filling and help me get through the first 2 days, which are the hardest for me. I also eat raw egg shakes (cage free,hormone and antibiotice free of course) This is something I have done most of my life (consume raw eggs) and I have never gotten sick from one and do not fear it. I do believe that healthy chickens lay healthier eggs, so I always buy cage-free for raw consumption. Here are my favorite recipes for my fasts. I make a homemade Mexican type dish by dicing 2 avocados, 1/2 med. onion, 1 tomato, 1 tbsp cilantro, a squeeze of a lemon or lime wedge, 1/2 jalepeno pepper finely chopped (I do not remove the seeds), and a tsp of a high quality cold pressed oil(olive,sesame,etc). Sometimes I take that mixture and use it as a salad topper instead of using a salad dressing. Another filling treat when raw, is to take about 1 cup of raw almonds (soaked overnight with water drained off) and put in a food processor with a splash of vanilla extract, a cup of ice and 2 tbsp of raw honey. My 12 year old loves this. It reminds me of butter pecan ice cream. Their are several very good websites for raw food recipes. Just type it in your search engine. I wish you much success on your fast. Never leave your home unprepared...always take quick access nuts and fruits with you.

I am starting a raw food "diet" today. A friend told me that she calls it the D-Diet (D for Diarrhea), because it causes her to run to the bathroom all the time. So much so that she had to stop the diet because she wasn't able to work (tutor). I am going to start out slowly ha ha. Anyone have any yummy recipes to share? If I find any good books or recipes, will post them here.

This is going to sound hideous... and it is, but it does the trick.

When ever I have a cold I have a number of remedies I use.

In Scotland we have a thing called a hot toddy which is basically whiskey, cloves, honey and lemon made into a tea.

However, my other remedy (and this is the disgusting one) I have used and it works... is blend some garlic cloves and water into a blender. Then gulp down some of the brew at night. I normally just try to drink the whole thing. I don't really bother with measurements, Just play about till you find something that works for you. It's the garlic your eating, the water just helps it go own. Plus it's broken up and therefore absorbed into the body quicker and easier.

I also do the same as a mosquito repellent. Blend the garlic and water together and pour through a siv. The pulp I place in plant pots on my pation and the water garlic solution I place in a squeezy bottle and go around spraying my windows and door frames. All blood eating creatures hate garlic.

You can also use Listerine which surprisingly mosqutios hate for some reason. I use a combination of the two.

I noticed that when I came down with a cold - I would always start to crave raw garlic. So I thought I would try it the next time before the cold took hold. It worked like a charm! Now I use it every time I feel a cold or flu coming on. It has to be raw garlic. I chop a few large cloves (as much as I can handle) finely and sprinkle it on buttered toast or in my food. You should be sure to chew the garlic to release the essential oils. I continue this once or twice a day until i'm better - could take a few days to completely get well - but I have managed to fend off every cold since I discovered the "garlic cure." (this is good for colds and flus except if you are coming down with a stomach bug - in which case it could aggravate your stomach.)

I've been using garlic for years for a variety of things. Usually I use it for colds. At the first sign of a cold, chop up 4 cloves of raw garlic and eat. I prefer to use it as a garnish on an already garlicy type food like soups or spaghettie, it helps make the taste not so obvious. Keep up with 4 cloves a day, then reduce the number as your symptoms decrease. This can stop a cold from manifesting, or it will shorten and weaken your colds. I used to have chronic bronchitis after every cold, now I haven't had it in years. I also only get one cold a year usually. Yeah, I don't smell great but I'm not missing so much work!

I will also use raw garlic juice on rashes and bug bites. It stops the itching immediately, and I pretty much use it for anytime I might need a phytoncide.

I take 2 cloves of raw garlic a day and have not been sick in over a year. I hate the taste of garlic, so I put a little bit of pudding or apple sauce on a spoon then I put 1 clove of finely minced raw garlic on top and then cover that with more pudding or applesauce, then just swallow it down. Do this twice a day. This is the easiest way to ever take raw garlic. Remember to get the full benefits of garlic it must be raw.

You can simply chew a peeled clove of raw garlic in the mouth, making sure you chomp it sufficiently into small pieces. The juices will be absorbed by your tongue almost immediately into your system, and is a fast way of getting it into the body. You can spit out the pieces without swallowing them, once the juice has been absorbed.

For the past month or so I have had a horrendous cough with watery eyes, sinus drip and tickling in my lungs. The coughs were sounding real bad - like honking almost. I did a search on the net and figured I would try the garlic before going to the doctor (fearing of course TB or cancer etc...) Well - after only 48 hours of chewing a piece of elephant garlic as soon as the tickling began -- the cough has greatly reduced!! This morning the tickling moved from one lung to the other -- and I'm still chasing it with the garlic. I have had Lymes twice and whatever this infection is - reminds me of Lymes in the way it seems to move around inside the body. Whatever this is can't escape the wonderful garlic fumes. I even dropped a few slices in my wine last night. IT WORKS!!! Thank you so much.

Fresh Garlic cured my Bronchitis and Sinus Infection. 1 finely diced clove (not the entire bulb) 3x's daily with any complimentary food that has been cooled almost to room temp (eg. diced tomatoes, avocado, chicken noodle soup, spaghetti sauce, pizza, or even apple pie.) Garlic is a natural antibiotic and antifungal. Within an hour or so, easier to breather and think, in 4 days cleared up symptoms. Took for 7 days to eliminate any chance of becoming ill again. Drawbacks: odiferous breath, and the odor also emanates from the pores of the skin. Use strong breath mints/cologne/essential oils to your liking.

Cut garlic clove into small pieces. Swallow them in one go with just a little water. This cures Bloating, stomach cramps and constipation.

I cut up cloves like the size of pills, and took them with water. I did this treatment at night so I could go through the next day without being bothered with hay fever.