Category: Raw Foods

Why Water Fasting Sucks

5/4/2017

By Allan

It’s no fun! Gee, why is it no fun to do a water fast? Because the more you need to fast, the worse you will feel. So when you are younger you have a lot of energy and you might not even notice much; maybe you will be a little hungry the first day of the fast. You are all excited to learn about this healing modality so you try it on for a day or three. One thing you don’t want to do is what I have heard from people they have done: dry fasts. Dry fasting is dangerous because you become dehydrated and it concentrates the toxins that you are releasing from your lymph fluid and the rest of your body. So drink plenty of water to flush out your body while you fast. Also it is best if just rest with your eyes closed and get as much sleep as you can.

Do you get colds or the flu? If you do, you could clean out by fasting. Most people think that if they have colds or the flu they caught some bug. Maybe they did, maybe they didn’t; it could be an overload of whatever you did like eating low water content food that clogs your system. You are much less likely to have a ‘bug’ chowing down on your clogged lymph and blood system if you keep your body clean. After all, you most likely take a shower and keep your outside clean - how about the inside?   The best health tip I have ever heard was “Stop doing what caused the problem.”   Listen to your body! An example might be: feeling that little tickle in your throat, feeling low energy after eating what you already knew wasn’t the best idea for you to eat.

What if you don’t have the time to fast anywhere from one day to thirty days? Consider this: do you have time to be in bed for a week or more with a cold or the flu? How about more serious health issues like cancer? By fasting on a fairly regular basis, you can likely reduce or eliminate the number of colds and other problems you have if you also take care to reduce your negative stress as much as possible, be in an optimal environment for you, and have fun moving toward your purpose.

Learn about being vegan or plant-based diet because it is easy. Then start eating more and more raw/live foods, transitioning to as much as you can do. I now eat more than a 99% vegan raw/live food diet and will probably go 100% this year because I feel so much better when I’m 100% raw/live.

Here are some resources to get started on fasting and eating a vegan raw foods diet:

* Intermittent fasting
* Short-term fasting
* Five day fasting to slow aging
* PCRM and plant-based diet
* Plant-based proteins
* 80/10/10 plan
* Raw foods e-zine

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Markus video on weight loss

8/11/2016

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by Willow

Not sure how many of you have heard about Markus Rothkrantz; he and his wife Cara, who sort of seem to sex-up their videos somehow, have a business where they promote raw foods and raw food products.

I thought his video on weight loss might be interesting to some; it really reinforces [a little heavily] the importance of a healthy and fresh food diet, although I don't think eating some steamed veggies every now and then is a bad thing, to keep our bodies functionally optimally. Of course, getting all of our nutrients in fresh raw foods can sometimes be iffy depending where and how they are grown, and how long they had to travel and then sit on shelves. We grow many of our own greens, such as lettuce, kale, parsley and even celery, and we put our own soil amendments in the raised garden beds. But many people can't or don't want to grow their own. I am not so keen on buying supplemental 'green powders' but maybe they can help at times, especially if one is low in some nutrients.

Anyway, maybe you'll learn something from his video and/or pass it on! He mentions the documentary "Fed Up" in his video; I haven't watched that one yet. Hope to soon!

Markus Weight Loss Special Epic Finale

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How to become vegetarian, vegan or a raw fooder overnight!

11/11/2014

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by Willow Aureala

How long does it take to become a vegetarian, a vegan or a raw fooder? It can take a long time, or it can take an instant!

When I first found out about vegetarianism in my first year in college, I would say that it took me about 6 to 8 months to switch to vegetarianism after I was informed about it. I joined a womenʻs action group in college and several of the members were vegetarian. When I was asked how I could eat animals if I loved them [which at the time I would say that I did], and informed of the philosophy and ethics of vegetarianism, that idea really struck me. However, it took several months of thinking about it, as well as reading materials and information about being a vegetarian before I finally switched.

I became a vegan in an instant in 1989. I went to a presentation at Whole Foods given by a librarian who was vegan. He told the audience about the link between the dairy industry and veal [and how veal would not exist if it werenʻt for the dairy industry; veal is the ʻby productʻ of getting cows pregnant so that they can be milked; some of the calves are slaughtered immediately, while some are raised in inhumane conditions as veal calves]. As soon as I learned about this connection, I immediately gave up two of my favorite foods: pizza and ice cream! I thought it would be very difficult to give those up, but I think because I really did not want to support the dairy/veal industry, it wasnʻt that difficult for me.

As for becoming a raw fooder, I sometimes went for it all the way - went 100% raw for months at a time, while at other times ate more cooked foods. So, my raw food track has been less ʻcementedʻ than has my vegetarian and vegan track.

So, if you want something enough, especially for ethical or health reasons, then you can switch your position in an instant. Other times, the switch may take longer. I think it depends on oneʻs motivation, as well as social support. Some of us need more social support than others, and it may vary with time. Find a social support group if you can to help you on your journey. Then, the transition may take a lot less time than you think it might!

What about you? How long has it taken you to make a major switch in your life, such as to vegetarianism or something else equally as important? What factors helped you make the switch? What helps you maintain it?

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Tropical blueberries - they exist!

9/1/2014

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Did you know that there are varieties of blueberries and raspberries [and maybe some other 'cool weather' berries that I haven't yet learned about] that grow in the 'tropics' [or, at least, in Hawaii]??!! I learned about them approximately two to three years ago. Now we have two varieties of tropical blueberries growing; one looks like a regular blueberry and one looks very different and has a skin that you peel away to eat the fruit inside. I've had pretty good luck with the two tropical blueberry varieties [actually producing fruit], but not as much [at least not yet] with the raspberries. I'm still working on the raspberries - planing them in different places and trying different soil amendments and different water amounts with them. But, it really 'tripped me out' when I learned that these tropical berries actually exist [someone has been hard at work playing around with these typically cool-weather plants - thank you whoever you are!] and that they actually produce berries! What a great thing, to grow our own berries in Hawaii!! :)

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Salt is good for you!

8/6/2014

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by Willow Aureala

I've read quite a bit about salt; some have said that eating more than what is found in foods naturally is 'bad' for you; some say it is not. There's a popular book about the relationship of adrenal health and salt that support increasing salt intake, although I think this is more about an actual disease called Addison's, which is not all that common. The author of the salt/adrenal book believes that many people may have adrenal symptoms due to not getting enough salt, but others disagree with this belief, and think that salt should be avoided.

Anyway, I was reading John McDougall's The Starch Solution again, and he notes a 2007 report from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) that included almost 100 million adults. The research on this large population found that "people who ate more salt had less risk of dying from heart disease and stroke" (p. 174).

In 2011, two studies confirmed that low sodium led to higher cardiovascular mortality. Additionally, The Cochrane Collaboration "concluded that there was no strong evidence of benefit from salt restriction" (p. 175).

Dr. MacDougall believes that the desire for salt leads to consume minerals essential to life, and subverting this desire could be harmful and may actually prevent some people from taking on a healthier diet because they don't like the way the food tastes. Furthermore, it may not be that salt itself is a problem, but rather the processed foods that come with salt that are the problem, as these often contain high amounts of sodium. A person needs only about 50 milligrams of sodium a day to meet basic needs, while a standard American diet, where "American cheese" may contain 404 mg of sodium [per 100 calories]! A diet based on starches, vegetables, and fruits, with no added sodium, contains about 200 to 500 mg, so people eating a diet like this [MacDougall's suggested starch solution], one will get enough without adding salt (p. 177).

And, depending on who you want to believe [of course], with the USDA's guidelines of ingesting less than 2.300 mg of salt per day, one could sprinkle up to 3/4 of a teaspoon of salt per day on your foods and still be within the guidelines. Of course, not all raw fooders or vegans will agree with any type of government regulatory body, but it is a place to start with. However, MacDougall does remind us that some people may be more sensitive to salt, and so should not add extra to their diet. People with severely damaged heart or kidneys should also avoid additional salt (p. 178).

So, if you follow a basically vegetarian or vegan diet, according to MacDougall, one will get enough salt to meet your basic needs. However, if you feel the desire for a bit more salt, it appears that, unless you have severe problems as noted above, that's not a problem. This is interesting to me as I've been avoiding salt for many years. I use Bragg's Liquid Amino Acids for the times when I want to add a little saltiness to my foods, or use a very yummy no-salt added mixture of spices and herbs called Table Tasty. Apparently, the fear of salt should no longer be in the public's consciousness.

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Is DHA Supplementation Necessary for Vegetarians, Vegans or Raw Fooders?

6/11/2014

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By Willow Aureala

[Note: this article relates to adults, not children]

A few years ago, I came across an article, somewhere on the internet, about DHA and that it may be low or deficient in a vegan, raw food diet, or perhaps even in a vegetarian diet. So, I was reading about this fatty acid, and I came to the conclusion, at that time, that I would do well to add some into my nutritional plan. I did some additional research about essential fatty acids, the different forms of essential fatty acids, and found that there was one company at the time, DEVA, who sold a DHA supplement that was for vegans [sold in vegan capsules and made from algae; most DHA supplementation comes from fish oils and is sold in gel caps, which are not vegan]. However, I decided that the DEVA product was too expensive, and decided to try using flaxseed oil [as flaxseed oil was also recommended for essential fatty acids for vegans/vegetarians], but gave that up after a while, partially because I didn’t notice any difference [although now I know that this isn’t relevant; more on that below], and partially due to cost. However, I recently came upon another article about DHA and decided to investigate it using peer-reviewed scientific research, rather than just reading about it on the internet from suspect sources.

I do want to reveal that examining DHA and essential fatty acids in an article is using ‘reductionist’ research [examining individual components outside of the whole], which Dr. Campbell, one of my nutrition heroes, warns about in his book Whole. As revealed in his book Whole, an apple’s nutrients work quite differently in the body when eaten whole, as compared to breaking down its components and making them into supplements, and this may be the same for other things such as DHA. But, for now, DHA seems an important topic for a healthy raw vegan diet, so until I have additional information that causes me to change my mind, this article provides the current state of the art in research on the topic. It may well be that vegans or raw food vegans can get enough of the ‘good’ beneficial essential fatty acids in a well-rounded diet, and that we don’t need to worry or wonder about ‘elements’ such as minerals, vitamins, and essential fatty acids. But, it is helpful to have a good understanding of these nutritional topics, so I will forge ahead in this article on DHA.

To understand DHA, we need to know a bit about essential fatty acids.

Essential fatty acids are named because they are ‘essential’ [we can’t live without them and our bodies don’t make them] and our bodies need them to do other things. Essential fatty acids are also referred to as PUFAs: polyunsaturated fatty acids, and researchers report that long-chain PUFAs are more beneficial than short chain fatty acids. Omega-3 (n-3) is considered an important PUFA. Long-chain PUFAs are in such things as fish and algae, and have been found to have positive effects on blood fat and heart function (2). Researchers have found that vegetarians and vegans tend to be deficient in long-chain n-3 fatty acids, in particular EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid), as these are found more in animal sources (especially fatty fish but also eggs and seaweed) than plant sources (1; 5). Welch et al found, however, that the differences were not as large, between meat-eaters and non-meat-eaters, in the amount of n-3 PUFAs, indicating that perhaps a conversion of ALA to DHA is higher than was thought before (2010 p. 1040). ALA (alpha-linoleic acid) is another essential fatty acid. ALA is found in a variety of foods, such as walnuts, flax seed, hemp seed, rapeseed [canola] oil, soya and some leafy green vegetables. ALA can be converted in the body into EPA and DHA, but this may require a large amount of ALA in order to produce [or convert via enzymes] more long-chain DHA and EPA (5, p.1040-41). However, one research article found that increased supplementation of ALA increased EPA but not DHA in blood plasma levels (4, p. 137). Also, Sanders wrote that “small amounts of preformed [I’m guessing he meant supplementation with DHA] DHA (as low as 200 mg) result in a large increase in the proportion of blood lipids in vegetarians and vegans” (2009, p. 137). Similarly, a study by Wu et al (2006) found that supplementation with DHA increased the levels of DHA and EPA, as well as decreasing cholesterol (which is also a good thing) (p. 386). So, this means that taking a DHA supplement does increase plasma levels of DHA; the question remains, however, is this increase meaningful and necessary to maintain good health? Sanders also points out that “there is no evidence of adverse effects on health or cognitive function with lower DHA intake in vegetarians” (2009, p. 137).

Another issue is that converting ALA to EPA can be negatively affected due to ‘competition’ when omega-6 PUFAs are ingested as enzymes compete for conversion (5, p. 1041). This leads to the concern over intake of too much omega-6 fatty acids that I’ve seen in discussions and articles on the topic of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

So, what should a vegetarian, vegan or raw food vegan person do about DHA and supplementation, if anything?

Dr. John McDougall reports on some of the same research I've reviewed above in his book The Starch Solution and comes to the conclusion that humans get plenty of DHA from plant sources.

Jack Norris, RD, has a recommended supplementation program for vegans, if one decides to supplement:

·       To get the same or similar levels of DHA in the diet as meat-eaters or fish-eaters, take a DHA supplement with 300 mg per day; OR

·       To ensure that one likely has an adequate amount of DHA in case one’s body isn’t making enough, supplement with 200-300 mg every two to three days [the insurance option].

·       Those over 60 years of age would probably do well to supplement with 300mg per day of DHA.

·       Avoid omega-6 oils: reduce or cut out oils such as corn, soy, safflower, sunflower and oils labeled ‘vegetable oils’ and sesame oil as these contain higher amounts of omega-6 oil. Use instead olive, avocado, peanut or canola oil [although some believe that canola oil is very bad for people to use]. If you cook, only cook canola oil for short periods of time with low heat.

·       Add some ALA to your diet. Include about 0.5 g of uncooked ALA daily, which would be the equivalent of: 1/5 ounce of English (not black) walnuts (about 3 halves); ¼ tsp flaxseed oil; 1 tsp canola oil; or 1 tsp ground flax seeds. [Another source also suggested 1 TBSP of chia seeds.] I like to grind the flax seeds and put them on my salads or other evening meal. They could also be included in smoothies.

Conclusion

While we have limited data at the present, probably a good combination of the above would be to supplement with an algae-based DHA capsule [or, DHA is also available as an oil in a dropper delivery system] every 2 to 3 days or so; eat a few walnut halves, add flaxseed oil or ground flaxseeds to one’s smoothies or evening meals every day or every other day; and avoid the omega-6 oils, at least until we know more about DHA levels (and other essential fatty acids) in vegetarians, vegans and raw fooders.

(Norris also cautions that “too much” omega-3 can cause bruising and bleeding in some people, and suggests consulting a professional if this is a concern.)

[you can read more DHA and essential oils on Jack Norris’ website: http://veganhealth.org/articles/omega3 ]

References

1.     Lu, SC; Lu, WH; Lee, CA; Chou, HF; Lee, HR; Huang, PC. 2000. LDL of Taiwanese vegetarians are less oxidizable than those of omnivores. Journal of Nutrition, 130, 1591-1596.

2.     Mori, T.A. and Beilin, L.J. 2001. Long-chain omega-3 fatty acids blood lipids and cardiovascular risk reduction. Current Opinion in Lipidology, 12, 11-17.

3.     Norris, Jack April 2014. Omega-3 fatty acid recommendations for vegetarians. Retrieved from: http://veganhealth.org/articles/omega3

4.     Sanders, Thomas A.B. 2009. DHA status of vegetarians. Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids, 81, 137-141.

5.     Welch, A.A; Shakya-Shresthra, S.; Lentjes, Marleen; Wareham, Nicholas; Khaw, Kay-tee. 2010. Dietary intake and status of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in a population fish-eating and non-fish eating meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans and the precursor product ratio of alpha-linoleic acid to long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: results from the EPIC-Norfolk cohort. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 92, 1040-1051.

6.     Wu, WH; Lu, SC; Wang, TF; Jou, HJ; and Wang, TA. 2006. Effects of docosahexaenoic acid supplementation on blood lipids, estrogen metabolism, and in vivo oxidative stress in post-menopausal vegetarian women. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 60, 386-392.

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Why Water Fasting Sucks

Markus video on weight loss

How to become vegetarian, vegan or a raw fooder overnight!

Tropical blueberries - they exist!

Salt is good for you!

Is DHA Supplementation Necessary for Vegetarians, Vegans or Raw Fooders?

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