Welcome to the VIBRANT LIVING NEWSLETTERIn this issue of Vibrant Living you’ll enjoy a new recipe I put together recently which is quite yummy if I do say so myself. lol There is also an article on Succeeding on the Raw Food Diet, and a few other shorts on health and wellness, as well as some new testimonies over at the Success Stories page of the website..... Enjoy!
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A man's health can be judged by which he takes two at a time - pills or stairs. ~Joan Welsh
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Stress increases our nutritional needs, but, sadly, today's standard diet of refined, enriched, preserved, irradiated, genetically modified, pasteurized, homogenized, hydrogenated, and otherwise processed foods doesn't begin to meet our increased nutritional needs. Today's foods are less nutritious than their counterparts of yesteryear, owing largely to methods employed by modern agribusiness to increase agricultural yield and shelf life — at the expense of nutrient content and consumer health. - Brenda Watson and Leonard Smith, The Detox Strategy: Vibrant Health in 5 Easy Steps
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This is a really tasty and nutritious recipe that is great as an entrée or as an appetizer. Its fast, needs no electric equipment, with easy prep and easier clean-up.
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Balance is the Key to Success on the Raw Food Diet As with life in general, where balance creates the harmony and synchronicity needed for enjoying a healthy, happy, and joyful life, so it is with the raw food diet. By balance I mean finding the right balance of fruits, vegetables, and fats (macro nutrients) that’s right for you to promote robust health and happiness. Let me make it clear that the purpose of this article is not to bash any raw diet programs, but to share my perspective on what I feel works best for most people. All the raw diets out there seem to work for some people, and I’m happy for them, however it seems that a balanced diet leads to more long term success. One thing for sure that is constant in the life of humans is change, and diet is no different. I have found that what suits you today in terms of diet may not suit you tomorrow. Even in the world of the standard American diet (SAD), when people are young they can usually eat just about anything they want without consequence, but as time goes by they must either change their diet or deal with sickness, doctors, and disease. And so it is within the raw food world as well. What suited us early on in our raw journey may not necessarily suit us over time. There are some that seem to thrive on a high fruit diet, and most of these folks seem to be either new to the raw diet, or younger and very physically active. I think this diet may be good for a while as it’s quite cleansing, but over time, (and just how much time is different for everyone), the body needs to rebuild and it needs copious amounts of minerals not found in fruits. There are also the fungal issues and becoming too acid from just plain over eating fruit or consuming unripe fruit. On the other end of the spectrum, there are those who promote no sweet fruits at all and consume a high amount of fat. Although some would say that raw vegan fat is healthier than cooked animal or vegetable fat, there is still a reasonable limit to what would be considered healthy. Then of course all the antioxidants and phytonutrients found in fresh ripe fruits are left out of such a diet. I believe God put fruits on this earth for humans to enjoy and to be nourished by their goodness. I lean towards the sunfood diet success system, which comes from the book with the same title, written by David Wolfe. The sunfood diet system is one of balancing the macro nutrients and tweaking or adjusting the ratio to deal with individual issues or to achieve certain results. I’m not necessarily a David Wolfe fan, but do agree with the overall idea of finding balance. I feel a balance of the three macro nutrients is best, and let my instincts direct me to what is appropriate for me at the present time. I gauge my recent level of activity, my anticipated level of activity, and what my body seems to be asking for when deciding on what and when I shall eat. I’ve been eating raw foods for quite some time now and have learned to read the messages from my body fairly well most of the time. It’s something you have to be patient with and sometimes learn from mistakes. The most important rules along these lines are eating only on an empty stomach and not over eating when you do.
These days I consume far less fruit than I used to, eat fresh sprouts every day, and most days have at least 32 ounces of fresh green juice on an empty stomach. I also partake of a few so called "super foods" which are extremely rich in nutrients and I believe help me maintain my level of health and fitness. These are just a few of the things that work well for me and keep me feeling on top of the world.
Over the years my diet has changed a fair amount as well. I’ve adapted and adjusted my diet to suit the changes and developments in my health. I feel incredibly strong and vibrant now, but am always open to the possibility that I may want to tweak or shift things to continue to feel great. Like they say “Good health is not a destination, but a journey.” As we age, and hopefully improve our health, we’re always adjusting to keep on target and feeling wonderful. In my opinion the next most important component of good health is exercise. That’s appropriate exercise for wherever you are on your health journey. Part of what enables people to eat poorly for so long when they’re young is their quicker metabolism and generally higher level of activity, which does two things. First it helps the body process, glean the good and move out the junk; and second, when we’re active we breathe deeply and take in more oxygen, which is far more important than most people realize. We can go for perhaps a few days to a week without water, 45 days or so without food, but only several minutes without air. I’m always joking with Gretchen about the prana, or life force in the air around us, but even though we laugh about it, it’s not really a joke. Wiser men than I believe there are other nutrients in the air we breathe besides oxygen. That’s why it’s so important to get out each day if only for a short while and enjoy the outdoors with some type of exercise and lots of belly breathing to go with it. If you experiment and find the right balance of macro nutrients for you, and add in the appropriate exercise as well, I think you will be more than delighted at the results you’ll enjoy. After all, finding the right balance is the key to success in all areas of life.
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Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live. ~Jim Rohn
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Apart from the fact that corn contains a high amount of sugar and often a lot of mold, most corn you buy in the United States is genetically modified (GMO). GMO corn was lauded by farmers and biotech firms for its ability to be disease- and pest-resistant and more bountiful. Genetically modified organisms are different from hybridized plants, which are naturally occurring. An example of hybridization is one breed of dog mating with another. An example of a GMO would be mating an eggplant and a dog in a Petri dish, which is, obviously, not naturally occurring. GMOs are not good for us. - Frank Lipman, Mollie Doyle, Spent: Revive: Stop Feeling Spent and Feel Great Again
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To keep the body in good health is a duty... otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear. ~Buddha
Previously Updated Web Pages: Please take a little time and share your raw food testimony. You need not be 100% raw to share a testimony; the fact is most people on the raw diet are not 100% anyway. Your story may inspire someone else, perhaps from the other side of the globe, to give the raw food diet a try.
Success stories.
Please send me your health questions, they can be submitted anonymously if you prefer, and you may help someone else improve their health and quality life.
Your questions.
Be Well and Wonderful, Hugh
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hugh@raw-foods-diet-center.com MEDICAL DISCLAIMER The contents of my website and my newsletter are gleaned from my experiences and observations, meant only for educational purposes and not intended to replace medical advice, consultations, or treatment of any kind. I recommend you see your professional health care provider if you suspect you have an illness or disease of any kind. I'm not medically trained, and I would never suggest or imply that I know what is best for someone else's body or overall health, ultimately each of us is the only one who knows what's best for us. New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read! Leave me a comment in the box below. |
