With its endless assortment of “get-skinny-quick” potions and prepared takeout meals, one could comment on how ironic it is that America’s become the land of the fat. Yet further insight reveals this conundrum to be fed by people’s desires for happy egos rather than healthy bodies, and this is where the raw foods lifestyle can lead to a plethora of positive outcomes.

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What is the raw foods lifestyle? It’s a route that brings one back to nature and pure living through the exclusion of meddled-by-man “food” products. And the consumption of fresh (and preferably organic) fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that have not been exposed to heat above 118 degrees. Why halt the heat? While a select few vegetables require slight amounts of heat to make their nutrients better available to you, the majority of food items begin to rapidly loose the bulk of their nutritional content (vitamins, minerals, enzymes, etc) when exposed to intense heat. In addition, new molecules are formed during cooking that are potentially hazardous to the body and have been convicted as precursors to degenerative diseases like cancer.

frt.jpgBy simply switching to a raw food diet, people have not only shed tremendous amounts of weight, but also rid themselves of cancer, diabetes, chronic fatigue, allergies, the evil vortex of mental negativity, and more. You can click the links above for personal testimonies, but if rigid scientific experiments are what you’re after, I highly recommend Susan Schenck’s incredible book, “The Live Food Factor: A Comprehensive Guide to the Ultimate Diet for Body, Mind, Spirit & Planet,” where she spends an entire chapter covering 30 such experiments that will blow your mind. While many “raw” books have become available since this lifestyle has taken flight, I do suggest her book (&/or David Wolf’s “The Sunfood Diet Success System”) for a thorough look into the realm of health that raw foods can accompany you towards. Meanwhile, you can check out this living foods Website for more info on why raw food is so special.

In the next RAW post, we’ll discuss the biggest mistakes a raw-foodie can make.

An Analysis of Raw Food, Part 2 (3.3.09)

RAWnovations, Part 3 (3.9.09)

RAWnovations, Part 4 (3.15.09)