A Raw New You!

The raw food diet can be a powerful stepping stone and tool in healing your body, mind, and soul! In many ways, it represents a return to nature and simplicity. If you are attracted to the concept of the raw food diet, it is well worth an exploration to see what might be in store for you! Some of the main reasons a raw diet is the buzz today amongst movers and shakers and Hollywood celebrities are the following:

Increased energy, awareness, and mental clarity and focus.
Increased sense of peace and overall well being.
Increased sense of connection to nature and the life force flowing through it.

The scientific reasons for these benefits are several. Raw foods have more life force in them, which can be measured through scientific measurement devices. Consuming this life force adds to our own life force. Raw foods have more vitamins and minerals than cooked foods. The water in raw foods is more organized or structured, similar to the water in our own cells. Therefore, the body has less work to do in organizing or structuring the water in raw foods before it is utilized and absorbed by our own cells. Raw foods have more enzymes which makes it easier for our body to digest and absorb raw foods. Also, our bodies do not have to produce as many enzymes in order to digest raw foods easing the work or strain on the body in the digestive process. Raw foods have no altered chemistry such as trans-fatty acids which are known to cause chemical problems and imbalances in our own bodies. Raw foods cause less of an immune response in our own bodies due to less or no altered food chemistry.

If you are new to the raw lifestyle and/or are just considering exploring it, following are some things to keep in mind in order to make your journey enjoyable, successful, and expansive:

Have fun! Keep in mind that no matter your reason, motivation, or purpose in exploring the raw diet and lifestyle, don't make it just a task! Keep the curiosity going! Stay creative. Learn new recipies, go to seminars, potlucks, and retreats, and associate with others who are learning as well. Read interesting books on the subject.
Buy a juicer and learn how to juice on a regular basis. Learn how to make green juices palatable to keep your body balanced with greens. My favorite way is using Granny Smith Apples. Also, buy a blender and learn about raw soups, salad dressings, and smoothies. Pick up a food processor and some raw recipie books and learn a new recipie every week or every month. Visit a gourmet raw food restaurant!
Stay easygoing and flexible around food and diet. Don't become perfectionistic. Don't try to go 100% raw overnight. Don't let it take up too much of your mental time or energy! Read more about this in my Raw Food Diet article.
Learn about raw superfoods and supplements to remain balanced on the raw food diet as you make your transitions and to excel on the diet. Some things to consider are Algaes (such as Spirulina, Blue Green, Golden, PhytoPlankton), Sea vegetables, Honey bee products (bee pollen, royal jelly, propolis, and honey), 92 mineral wheatgrass juice, maca, cacao, gojis, mushrooms, herbs, wild foods, colloidal, ionic, and angstrom minerals, etc.
Learn about and use essential oils.
Do some sort of exercise, sport, yoga, or healing/strengthening program on a regular basis. Spend time in nature.
Learn about breathwork and "rebirthing".
Learn and implement the practice of sun gazing: Raw Food Resources
Bring prayer and gratitude to your food and diet.
Don't do all of the above at once! Start with one thing first and let your journey progress naturally in the way the seems easiest for you! If you are feeling overwhelmed, step back and take a breather from the learning and practicing process. Remember, this is a journey. Rome was not built in a day!