RAW FOODS - Each and every day, we should all incorporate raw foods into our meals. Raw foods are still ALIVE, whereas processed foods, cooked foods, and all meats and animal products are DEAD. It stands to reason, then, that human bodies comprised of living cells demand living nourishment for peak health. Many valuable but fragile vitamins, enzymes, phytochemicals and probably other things as well are destroyed during cooking. By adding fresh-as-possible, preferably organic vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts to your diet, you will be greatly enhancing the nutritional value of your eating regimen.

In the book of Genesis, before the fall, God laid out the perfect diet for his creation, both man and the animal kingdom:

And God said, "See, I have given you every herb that
yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every
tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it will be for food.

"Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air,
and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is
life, I have given every green herb for food"; and it was so.

The fall didn't just impact human beings, but it affected the whole creation. The animal kingdom was perverted also, along with humanity. My guess is that the consequences of the fall (sin, poverty, sickness, and death) did not unfold altogether suddenly, but rather gradually. Separation from God and the emergence of the sin nature birthed problems in living, which brought consequences, which became problems in themselves. The Bible doesn't go into much detail about the progression, but we do know that by Noah's time, things had changed, including lifespan. When Noah and his family disembarked from the ark, this is what God told him:

"And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be on every beast
of the earth, on every bird of the air, on all that move on the
earth, and on all the fish of the sea. They are given into your
hand.

"Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given
you all things, even as the green herbs.

"But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood."

Did God change His mind about what was the best diet for man? Did He "zap" the animals to instill fear of man in them? Or did God's permissive will allow for meat-eating? I believe changes in man and the animal kingdom toward increasing carnality precipitated God's decision. What we eat or don't eat is not an issue relevant to God's plan of redemption through Christ Jesus, so perhaps that's why He didn't put His foot down on it. But there have been consequences.

Noah lived to be 950 years old. His son Shem died at 600. Shem's son Arphaxad lived only to 436. Six generations later, Nahor died at 148.

Now I'm sure all kinds of things contributed to the shortening lifespan, but diet had to be one of the biggies. The introduction of flesh and other animal products and the practice of cooking foods which destroys nutrients has provided an inferior fuel for the human body and compromised a highly effective immune system designed by God.

I have heard marvelous stories about people, once very, very sick, who were able to reverse their conditions by switching to a mostly raw foods diet. Obviously, there is something excellent about raw food. One minister I know of advocates and himself eats an 85% organic raw foods diet. He and those he has influenced have greatly reduced the occurrence of sickness and disease in their lives and have completely healed from maladies which the medical community had not been able to effectively treat through drugs and surgeries.

Currently, I eat about 40-50% raw, which means incorporating raw foods into every meal. My goal is to increase my ratio of raw to cooked food. While I would support anyone’s desire to eat raw foods exclusively, a good place to start is simply to include some raw foods on your menus.

If you're not accustomed to eating raw foods, try adding a little at a time, until you maximize your ratio of raw food to cooked food without suffering hunger between meals. By all means, experiment! By eating a wide variety of both raw and cooked foods, you can obtain a lot of good nutrition and be satisfied.

To help you get started, here is the Natural Christian Breakfast, guaranteed to give you lots of "go" and make you feel great!

POWER BOOST
Drink this at least 15 minutes before eating.

½-1 tart organic apple, unpeeled, quartered and chopped
3-5 scrubbed, unpeeled organic carrots, chopped
2 clean stalks of organic kale, stems removed

Juice according to manufacturer's directions for your juicer. Drink juice immediately. Yes, it is the color of your lawn, but it's pleasant tasting, loaded with nutrients, and packed with power. You'll see.

Variation: I've been throwing some fresh melon and pineapple into the mix for variety, and it has been tasty...so experiment!

Note: If you are new to juicing or just starting out in your new, healthier lifestyle, juicing something like kale may sound totally disgusting and unappealing. I understand. Actually, I was afraid of kale myself, until the person who gave me the recipe for the Power Boost juice told me how wonderful it is and that it gives a natural jolt of energy. Now, to be honest with you, the Power Boost isn't the kind of juice I sip to make last a long time; I generally toss it down fast. Now carrot juice, or carrot and apple juice, is exquisite and I do drink that for the enjoyment of taste as much as for the nutritional benefits. So if you're curious but apprehensive, start with just plain carrot (add a half stalk of celery for variety) or apple juice, or perhaps a combination of the two; then try the kale later.

MUESLI
Experiment with different ingredients for variety.

1 c. organic rolled oats
½ c. organic rolled spelt*
½ c. organic rolled triticale*
½ c. organic rolled wheat or barley*
¼ c. chopped organic dates
¼ c. organic raisins or dried currants
1 dried organic apricot or pear, chopped (roll in oat flour to prevent stickiness)
¼ c. raw, whole, organic unblanched almonds
8-10 organic raw filberts
4 organic raw pecans

In a blender or spice/nut grinder, grind filberts and pecans into coarse crumbs or powder, depending on preference. Combine all ingredients in an airtight container. For each serving, place a heaping 1/3 cup in a bowl and top with lowfat soy, oat, or rice milk.

*If you can't find these ingredients in your local health food store or co-op, or unable to find them on the web, just substitute more rolled oats.

IDEA: During the summer months, try substituting some or all of the dried fruit with dried fresh berries. Yum!

Now for lunch, combine a large, crisp, fresh green vegetable salad or flavorful cut raw vegetables with a nourishing bowl of FF or LF homemade soup, or a thick slice of steamy-warm fresh whole-grain bread, or a little leftovers out of the fridge or freezer, and you'll have a healthy lunch. At dinner time, prepare a large bowl of bite-size pieces of tangy-sweet fresh fruit, tossed with a mixture of freshly-squeezed lime juice and a dab of pure raw honey, and enjoy. After a while, maybe a half hour or so, eat a little something else--maybe spicy steamed vegetables over corn pasta, or a fluffy baked potato topped with steamed tender-crisp broccoli or cauliflower, a little sour cream and fat-free Mozzarella (or not, if you're vegan), and zesty BBQ sauce or salsa. Firm but tender beans of your choice (uncanned, please) and whole brown rice with some chopped fresh tomato and seasonings is a great idea, too. Compile tried-and-true healthy recipes in a notebook, 3-ring binder, or computer file and implement variations of this meal plan several days a week, or every day, and you'll be on your way to more vibrant, electrifying health!

DON'T MISS THIS:

I can't recommend highly enough the Hallelujah Acres website.

Visit a Hallelujah Diet Web Board and talk with others with a raw food eating style.

SUGGESTED READING:

Be Your Own Doctor : Positive Guide to Natural Living--Wigmore
Synopsis: Be Your Own Doctor describes the extraordinary benefits of the wheatgrass and "live" food diet, as well as those of the healthful application of sun, water, exercise, and massage. Always practical in her approach, Ann Wigmore explains her balanced, completely organic diet, detailing both cultivation and final preparation.

Blatant Raw Foodist Propaganda (paperback)--Alexander
Customer Comment (rating=*****): What I found particularly refreshing was that unlike other health-related books that I have read, Joe Alexander doesn’t ‘push’ his philosophy on people. Rather, he simply presents a logical case using scientific research and personal testimonies. While living on a raw food regimen is not something that everyone can swallow (no pun intended), this book is an excellent introduction for why living on a raw food diet is the most logical diet available. I would highly recommend this book to anyone seeking to radically improve their health and especially so to those who are simply sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.

Enzyme Nutrition : The Food Enzymes Concept--Howell
Written by the pioneering researcher in the field, this contains everything you wanted to know about eating raw foods for health. The production of enzymes in the body is a vital precondition that must exist before proper digestion can take place. This book shows that eating right can insure that your body is producing and storing necessary enzymes for a longer, healthier life.

Hooked on Raw (paperback)--Rhio
Synopsis: Rhio has written a book that is in plain language, easy to read, and a total guide to the Raw and Living Food lifestyle. The first half of the book teaches you from step one all the things you need to know about getting started. The second half of the book contains almost 350 delicious power food recipes designed to please the most finicky palate.

Nature's First Law: The Raw-Food Diet--Arlin
Customer Comment (rating =*****): Raw is Law! I was skeptical about the ideas they present, and so I figured the only way to find out was to take thier advice and go raw for six months. Now I don't have headaches, I don't get sick, I don't yawn in class. I always have energy! My point is, they're right! Their approach is a little hardcore and may turn some readers off, but every claim they make about the benefits of a raw food diet is true. Use this book to inspire you to go raw for six months and you'll never go back!

Raw Kids: Transitioning Children to a Raw Food Diet (paperback)--Stoycoff
Synopsis: Raw Kids is an extremely helpful guide book for anyone trying to improve their family's diet and transition to raw living foods. Cheryl has done an excellent job, I couldn't put it down until I finished it.

The Raw Life: Becoming Natural In An Unnatural World (paperback)--Nison
Customer Review (rating=*****): "A great book! I have bought over 15 books in the past month on the benefits of eating 70%-100% raw foods, and while all of them have been terrific, this one is the easiest read. I am kind of on my own down here in Ormond Beach, and this book surely helped in my quest to discover the joys of the raw food lifestyle. The section on what goes on in the slaughter houses, poultry processing plants, and the fish packing plants and the unhealthy nature of all three industries as a whole, surely convinced me to avoid these poisens for the rest of my life. Additionally, the interviews with other raw food experts, and the list of healing retreats was especially helpful."

Raw Power!: Building Strength and Muscle Naturally--Arlin
Customer Comment (rating=*****): Stephen Arlin explains in Raw Power how to achieve optimum health and strength, on a raw food diet. He explains it so eloquently and gently. That all I can say is WOW and THANK YOU!!!! I really needed this book! This book is not just for the "body builder" it is for anyone who desires an awesome, perfect body. This book IS for everyone!

The Sprouting Book (paperback)--Wigmore
Customer Review (rating=*****): "This books gives information on something that can help to make up for the diets of most people, which are seriously lacking in life energy."

Sprouts For The Love Of Everybody--Kulvinskas
Customer Review (rating=*****): "Graphs, charts, milligrams of specific vitamins produced on each day in the life of selected sprouts, comparisons of sprout nutrional content with human milk--these are the kind of data found in Sprout for the Love of Everybody written by a student of Ann Wigmore. The information is wrapped in a humorous style of delivery that is light and easy to read. Included in the contents is a basic rundown on how the body works from a point of view that considers health and longevity normal."

Sprouts--the Miracle Food!: The Complete Guide to Sprouting (paperback)--Meyerowitz
Synopsis: Meyerowitz is definitely the Sproutman. We never knew there were so many sprouts --- so many flavors and textures. ... The medicinal properties of these little plants, not to mention their prodigious nutrition does indeed make them a miracle food.

The Sunfood Diet Success System: 36 Lessons in Health Transformation (paperback)--Wolfe, Arlin, McCabe
Customer Comment (rating=*****): I am new to the idea of raw foods, and this is the first book that I have read on the subject. It was perfect for me because it has alot of information that gave me a better understanding, and also many reasons to back the information up. This book is written with a very positive and energetic attitude which made it easy for me to read, and also made me willing to try its ideas. There are journal activities that helped me to personalize the ideas and fit them into my own life. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking for inspiration along with new and clear knowledge.

The Wheatgrass Book--Wigmore
Customer Review (rating=*****): "Ann Wigmore gives a thorough analysis of the incredible powers of wheatgrass and how it can improve your health. I must say this book changed my life: wheatgrass juice will improve your health, boost immunity, aid in weight loss, and more."

Wheatgrass--Nature's Finest Medicine: The Complete Guide to Using Grass Foods & Juices to Revitalize Your Health (paperback)--Meyerowitz
Customer Review (rating=*****): "This book is jam packed with information of not only the history of grass but also with resources on where to get the organic seeds. You will be introduced to other types of grasses, different ways to use the grass instead of the traditional juicing, alternative ways to grow wheatgrass, and many many resources on where to find everything you would need to grow and juice your own. He also includes resources on where you can have fresh grass delivered right to your door! Steve loaded this book with research, interesting quotes, and my favorite part...options!"

COOKBOOKS

Angel Foods: Healthy Recipes for Heavenly Bodies--Soria
Customer Comment (rating=****): The best of both worlds (raw and cooked). If you are looking for excellent raw cuisine, or if you are interested in great vegan recipes, try this book. Having experimented with both for 20 years, I find this book to be among the best in either genre. Almost every recipe I've tried is truly noteworthy, but the living foods recipes stand out as both delicious and easy to prepare. Highly recommended.

Dining in the Raw --Romano
Synopsis: Celebrating the health benefits of raw foods, a noted chef and nutrition expert combines macrobiotic, vegan, allergy-free, and raw-food dietary programs in a guide that explains how raw foods can help control overeating, normalize weight, retard aging, and promote healing.

The Raw Gourmet--Shannon
Synopsis: Natural, fresh, organic, uncooked and unrefined foods are gifts from nature, providing the body with nutrients to stay healthy and vigorous. Taste and feel the vitality of eating raw foods with The Raw Gourmet's quick enzyme rich, high fiber vegetable dishes, dressings and desserts.

Raw: The Uncook Book--Brotman
Synopsis: Raw offers ultimate pure flavor, thousands of textures, and beautiful effects on body, mind, soul and the environment! This isn't 100 variations of salad, but an ultra-gourmet cuisine, which fuses ancient culinary techniques with a modern and practical lifestyle. From sun-baked pizzas, satisfying sandwiches, vegan sushi, the best burritos and sprouted-rice dishes, to sangria and shakes, cookies, pudding, and pies. You're about to acquaint yourself with the vibrant flavors and miraculous nutrition of plant life in a way you never have before.

The Uncook Book : Raw Food Adventures to a New Health High--Baker
Author Biography: In 1977, Elizabeth Baker had to decide if she was ready to die. After being diagnosed with terminal colon cancer, she decided that she wasn't ready yet-for any early death or more chemical treatments. The first thing she did was change her diet. Mrs. Baker is very much alive today. At a spritely 83 years of age, she isn't about to change the way she eats or stop sharing the good news about raw foods. Thanks to Elizabeth, people all over the world are realizing that the benefits of eating natural, raw food reach far beyond a slender physique. Her message is a balanced body and mind, functioning at optimum levels, attaining the most from the nutrients it receives. Her message is life.

Vibrant Living : A Live Foods Resource and Recipe Book--Levin, Cederquist

NATURAL CHRISTIAN DIRECTORY

© 1997-2002 NATURAL CHRISTIAN