Raw Living Foods Lifestyle - chiDiet.net

Making Raw Food Diets Work for Newbies

If you’re a newcomer to the raw food way of life, it could turn out to be a daunting process, especially if your system is not used to the change. There are those who swear by the 80/10/10 diet that relies heavily on carbohydrates to provide fuel for your body, and others who denounce it with equal fervor.

Diet is a question of personal choice, and it’s wise to choose one that suits us and that we’re likely to stick to. So if you’re looking to go the raw food way, here’s what you need to know as newbie to this way of life:

•    It’s best to make gradual changes rather than quit cooked food cold turkey because this diet is not something that works wonders all of a sudden. Your body may find it difficult to adjust and you may be prone to spells of dizziness, mental and physical fatigue, headaches, drowsiness, emotional mood swings, and low concentration levels. So start out with one meal a day for a week, and then gradually increase the amount of raw food you eat as your system adjusts.
•    When you’re eating a mix of raw and cooked food, remember to eat cooked food that’s healthy so that you’re able to gain the maximum benefit out of this process. You must avoid food that has been heated beyond 115 F, processed, refined, or pasteurized.
•    The raw food diet takes time getting used to, so don’t worry if you find the going tough in the beginning. Ensure that you take adequate precautions to prevent medical complications, especially if you’re on medication and suffer from other medical conditions. If you’re really serious about changing to a raw food diet, you must persevere with it even when it seems hard to adjust. You will find it easier as the days go by.
•    Although it may seem like less work when you don’t have to cook food, you need to make a larger effort in making raw food edible by processing, dehydrating, soaking or fermenting. You also need to work on finding recipes to prevent boredom from stopping you from adhering to this way of life.
•    Raw food diets find favor with athletes, especially those who specialize in endurance and strength training. It seems to give them an edge when it comes to performance and achievement.

If you’re looking for good recipes to help you stick to your raw food diet and make your meals more interesting, you could try the ones listed in The Complete Book of Raw Food. The book, now in its second edition, has over 400 recipes from 55 chefs and is reputed to have the most widely available collection of raw food recipes. It also includes detailed information including preparation times, both advance and immediate. So go ahead, launch your entry into the world of raw food with this book for an ally, and feel the difference in your life.

This post was contributed by Katie Wilson, who writes about the top nursing colleges. She welcomes your feedback at KatieWilson06 at gmail.com

10 Dr. Ann Videos for $88????

Get a head start. I just put together a 10 DVD set of the Dr. Ann Wigmore Raw Living Foods lifestyle for a very, very special price. Almost a giveaway. This is a "first opportunity" before the sale starts next week.

 

http://chidiet.com/aw.htm

Enjoy!

Jim

Being raw and feeling the heat

It was really hot outside today and it was such an added blessing to be raw because I was not uncomfortable in the heat and humidity at all.

Two guests had added some olive and coconut oil to their salads, which I didn't eat, because it would have really made it impossible for me to stop sweating in the heat (especially at night) and would have made me very uncomfortable in the day, too. 

Oil stops the circulation and electricity in the body.  It was so evident yesterday that it's a boon to be raw in this tropical heat [Homestead, FL]. 

A cold wave came in last night from the NW and the raw fooders put on jackets!  Tim even remarked how cold it was. The people who were at the party who were cooked food eaters were comfortable. 

I'm grateful that I have such perfect circulation, even though I do get cold when the temperatures are below 85!

All natural bug repellents

Children's All Natural Bug Repellent
by Suzanne - suziesgoats@yahoo.com

In misting spray bottle add 2-4 drops tea tree essential oil and 3-6 drops lavender essential oil (less drops for very young children, more drops for older children). Close and shake in order to blend oils and create a synergetic blend. Then add 3 oz distilled water and 1 oz witch hazel. Avoid eyes and mouth when misting. Reapply every other hour in very hot weather.
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Herbal Repellent Oil

1 part fresh pennyroyal
1 part fresh thyme
1/2 part fresh basil
1/2 part neem leaf (if available)
tea tree essential oil
citronella essential oil
olive oil

Pick your fresh herbs. Manually remove any dirt then set them in a sunny place until the herbs are wilted.

Using 1/4 cup as your part, measure 1/4 cup of pennyroyal and thyme, and 1/8 cup basil and neem leaf into a crock pot. Pour in enough olive oil to cover the herbs plus another inch of oil (approximately 1 cup).

Turn the crock pot on low temperature and heat the herbs for about 3 hours. An alternative way to prepare your oil extraction is to place the herbs in a clear glass jar and set it in the sun for about five days. Shake it once or twice a day.

When you have finished heating your oil, strain your oil through a cheesecloth lined strainer. Squeeze out as much oil as possible. Measure out how much oil you now have. For each ounce of oil add 10 drops of citronella essential oil and 5 drops of tea tree oil.

Pour into bottle and label.
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Lemon Balm Insect Repellant

When bothered by insects in the garden, just pick a few leaves of lemon balm and rub on the skin. It really works well! (Not to mention the wonderful aroma.)

Buy a Vitamix?

Hi Jim,

I've been juicing for the last ten years or so and after reading Victoria's book have decided to toss the juicer and go for blending (for the fiber content etc). Is a vita-mix the way to go, or is there a great blender out there? The cost is high on the vita mix but if I could use it for many things, it may be worth it. What do you use? Any good sources out there you'd recommend? Please respond.

Claire
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I’ve not found anything that holds up like a Vitamix, though I have gotten about 3 months out of the OLD Hamilton-Beach blenders ($5 at yard sales). Most modern blenders won’t last a week. I was also quite happy with their warranty coverage when I was Director at Creative Health Institute, where we used our Vitamix a LOT.

After 2 years of using old Hamilton Beach blenders, I splurged last year and got myself a Vitamix. It’s worth the money.

Jim

Making every day Earth Day - Earth 911

Lots of recycling and pollution prevention information, environmental news: http://www.earth911.org.

7 free online tools and resources for raw fooders

Have you ever wondered where to go online to find information about raw health and nutrition? Personally, I think websites are like recipes. You might “try” a hundred but eventually, you’ll go back to just a dozen or so on a regular basis.

Here's Frederic Patenaude's recommendations: http://www.fredericpatenaude.com/ezine/070606.html.

Non-toxic options to reduce mosquitoes in your yard

With summer upon us, here are some alternatives to toxic mosquito repellants that contain DEET: http://www.mercola.com/2006/jun/22/non-toxic_options_to_reduce_mosquitoes_in_your_backyard.htm.