Just like anything in life, our eating habits are exactly that – a habit. Many of us put things into our body that don’t benefit us in any way and, in fact, may even cause disease or illness. I have been eating raw on and off for about 3 years now. I grew up in a Filipino household where chips, snacks and fatty foods were in wild abundance. Growing up, I had skin problems and was overweight. How many ways have you had SPAM? I’m sure I could compete with the best SPAM chefs out there but, SPAM is now a thing of the past.

My journey into the raw food diet began innocently while trying to prepare my body for a colonic. So, just as one would brush, floss, and use mouthwash before going to the dentist, I decided to go vegetarian for 2 weeks prior to my anticipated colonic. After 2 weeks of going vegetarian, I felt my health drastically improve and my waistline drop an inch. I must admit that the cravings were strong for the first week. It was difficult for me to sleep at night – I felt as though I was going to bed hungry. Although I was technically “full”, I didn’t feel satisfied. Man, was that a tough week for me to bear. Friends were poking fun at me, calling me names like “Rabbit-Food Man”. The raw food diet does not easily fit into the habits of conventional society. Did you ever ask yourself why a Big Mac tastes so good? Well, there are scientists that get paid big bucks to get you addicted to and into the habit of craving that Big Mac taste.

Fortunately, nature has provided us with an abundance of unadulterated food. Many of us would prefer to have a couple Big Macs for dinner over a few apples – including me. But, it’s difficult for me to consider a Big Mac anymore now that I understand how much more beneficial fresh fruits and vegetables are to my well-being. The immediate satisfaction that a Big Mac provides cannot overshadow the fact that it’s just garbage food masqued in scents and aromas that are targeted to our crave senses. Foods provided by Mother nature do not contain these artificial stimuli. In fact, nature has already incorporated a means to avoid overeating - it’s called fiber. Apples provide more nutritional value than a Big Mac and thus, signals to your brain that it is time to rest and digest instead of mindlessly filling our bellies until we either feel sick or fall asleep due to the taxing nature of garbage food on our digestive systems.

Eat an apple and observe how you feel. Eat a Big Mac and observe how you feel. Meat takes about twice as much energy to digest than an apple. In addition, meat is also a secondary source of food. By secondary, I mean that the cow eats grass (a primary source of food) and is then digested and converted into a secondary source of food. The Sun is the sparkplug to all of life. Vegetables are thus the primary source of food gathering there energy and nutritional qualities from the sun. The livestock of the earth then consume these primary sources of food in order to sustain themselves. More than half of the nutritional value of the primary food source is lost in the conversion process. Simply put, eating meat is an inefficient way to gather up essential nutrients that you would otherwise more of by cutting out the “middle man” (or cow, in this case). By cutting out the “middle man” you can gain more nutrient density out of your meals and feel the benefits of eating a raw food diet.

The cooking process also degrades the nutritional value and of all foods including primary source foods. I’m not saying that you should be miserable and only eat raw foods but, if you are new to this concept you may want to try eating a few apples or other raw fruits before you eat your cooked meals. Not only does this help curb your appetite and promote weight loss, it also prepares your stomach with an adequate amount of digestive enzymes to efficiently digest the meal you are about to consume.

Feel the raw difference. Challenge yourself to feel better and live a more fulfilling life. I never did get that colonic and I feel great.

Tags raw food journey | Vegan | Fruitarian | Vegetarian | Nutrition |

Fathers and Mothers choose to provide their kids with the best food that can provide sustenance, health benefits and maximizing growth potential. Only the very best food diets for our children. So, is it healthy to sustain our kids with the raw food diet considering that kids are growing daily and they need lots of energy and food to satisfy their big appetites? It does not necessarily mean that when our kids are overweight, they are maximizing their growth potential as well as they health concerns. The alternative of feeding your children with junk foods to provide them with easy and fast food ends up with the result of having obese children.

Having your kids eat the right kind of food should mean you as parents teach them to appreciate and learn to eat the right way the right kind of food. The best way is to have a healthy habit of eating Fruits and vegetables. It is a known fact that children of all ages tend to hate eating vegetables and some fruits. Encourage them to eat delicious, fun and colorful foods such as blueberries, oranges, bananas, grapefruits for breakfast. Shape their attitude that eating and drinking the right food stuff means indulging in shakes or juices and not the liquids that only contain lots of sugars, coffee and carbon gas. It will be very good when you make them accustomed to eating nuts, fruits and vegetables that are relatively raw or uncooked.

You have to set the example for the kids to follow. When they see you eating all the healthy raw food, they might be eventually be swayed to eat that way. You should start them on raw food diet as early as you can. If they already have a set of taste for junked food, it will be a difficult task to shift their taste buds’ acquired likes.

The general food policy you should ask from your children is for them to value their health and minds. Remind them not to be manipulated by advertisements they see in the TV, radio, print ads, movies and others which seek to establish products as desirable by their looks and not by their nutritional content.

Raw food generally contain more than the daily recommended vitamins, minerals, nutrients and calories as required by the Food and Drug Agency. Rice, potatoes, leafy vegetables, seeds, fruits, legumes and other fruits products have more than enough energy and nutrition. Moreover, they contain natural fibers, natural enzymes, minerals and vitamins which contribute a lot in the digestive processes. Your kids may say that they are not ’satiated’ because they can’t feel the weight of the meal. The animal fat oil gives that feeling. One can be practical and incorporate white meat like chicken, turkey, fish and others to your staple food.

There are a lot of famous people who are high achievers and depend on a raw food diet for their nutritional requirements. A lot of recipes and other combinations are available in magazines and online sources. Remember to tell your kids, it is always the best option to be healthy and free of illnesses than to be obese, slow and sickly. Not only will they be energetic, healthy and happy, they will be sharp-minded, positive thinkers and achievers.

Tags raw food | fruits | vegetables | overweight | junk food |