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Back to the Organic Garden : The Living Foods Diet has " Come of Age"
By Robert Reid in 1999 (as seen in Spirit of change Magazine)
Author Carl Jung once said, " When one principle reaches the height of its power, the counter-principle is stirring within it like a germ ." And so it is, as we are fast approaching the year 2000 and the dawning of a New Age, McDonald's is opening its 25,000 th store, a "Milestone" no other business in the world has achieved. And we also now find that in contrast, the general public, in tandem with the medical and nutritional professions, are beginning to view whole organic plant food in its freshest and most natural state, as the key to optimal health and longevity. Now, there is no question that raw plant foods, calorie for calorie, contain more vital nutrients and life force than any other food. With this realization, has the Organic Living Foods Diet finally "Come of Age"?
Preface
In addition to reporting on the current movement towards an organic living food diet, this article is intended to provide the reader with a foundation of nearly all the key fundamentals of natural diet, disease, cleansing and digestion. Filled with simple and short explanations of these critical concepts, this article alone could be a great guide for you as you begin exploring this new paradigm in body and planet ecology. While I offer many original thoughts I have come to know through my own and my family's experiences, I also draw upon research found in the books mentioned throughout the body of this text as well as conversations I have had with those authors, many of them my friends or colleagues.
Definitions
When we talk of Living or Raw Food , we are simply speaking of fresh organic plant foods in a raw, uncooked state. These foods can be eaten in a simple manner or combined as Gourmet Culinary Art in extraordinary ways for some of the most spectacular presentations and tastes that can be achieved in the eating experience. In addition to fruit, vegetables, greens, herbs, nuts, and seeds, living food can also includes wild edibles, flowers, raw bee honey and pollen, soaked and sprouted grains, fermented foods, raw farm fresh goat or cow's milk, raw cheese (aged over 60 days) and freeze-dried or dehydrated whole food green "superfoods". In this state, all the life giving enzymes, vitamins, peptides, proteins, amino acids, fatty acids, fiber (yes, this too is degraded by heat - even light steaming), other micro-nutrients and colloidal minerals suspended in living water, are found intact and in proper relationship to each other, as intended by nature. Ultimately, minerals form the foundation of our cellular structure. To be bio-available, they are best presented to the body in a complete living cell matrix; this gives them the ability to be joined on the cellular level.
Enzymes are the catalyst and delivery system for the nutritional uptake of the millions of nutrients discovered and as of yet undiscovered, which are found in whole foods. We know from Dr. Edward Howell's work ( Enzyme Nutrition ), that enzymes are destroyed at temperatures approaching 118 degrees. This labor force of the body is needed for every chemical action, reaction and metabolic process. Since the body has a limited "bank" of enzymes (as coded in the DNA or genetic blueprint), eating enzyme-rich foods that digest themselves frees up our metabolic and digestive enzymes to be stored away or focused on healing and other activities that greatly extend our lifespan. The three enzyme systems; metabolic, digestive (pancreatic) and the enzymes designed in the food by Earth's billion of years of wisdom, are necessary for complete assimilation and maximal digestive performance. It's not what we consume, but what we assimilate & utilize that builds a vibrant cellular structure and gives us true power.
Although there is an abundance of scientific research, eating food in its truly natural state is what many Raw-Foodists see as nothing more than common sense and simple observation of nature. Opening the door to a whole new Paradigm in Natural Health, The Raw Movement is backed by hundreds of books by such authors as David Wolfe and Steve Arlin of San Diego's Nature's First Law ( "The Sunfood Diet Success System" and "Nature's First Law"), Dr. Gabriel Cousens, M.D. of The Tree of Life Health Center in Patagonia, AZ ( "Conscious Eating " and " Spiritual Nutrition & the Rainbow Diet" ), New Age and Living Foods pioneer Viktoras Kulvinskas ( Survival into the 21 st Century") , and Brian Clement of the Hippocrates Health Institute in West Palm Beach, FL (" Living Foods for Optimum Health "). Some date back to the late 1800's, like Arnold Ehret's seminal work, "The Mucusless Diet Healing System" and even back 2000 years, with " The Essene Gospel of Peace", (always only $1) translated from an Ancient Aramaic Manuscript discovered with the Dead Sea Scrolls. Genesis of the Bible includes possibly the oldest literary edict..."Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, in which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat". A Raw-Foodist is generally considered to be someone subsisting on a diet of 80 to 100% raw-plant foods, or aspiring to higher levels of raw or living foods in their diet. Many people are guided towards higher and higher levels of raw foods gradually over time, once they have surpassed the 50% raw mark.
Celebrity Star Power
Today there are thousands of people from all walks of life who are starting to experiment with living foods, and many people are going to a 100% raw plant based diet. Part of the catalyst for this growing movement is STAR POWER . Recent articles appearing in major newspapers and periodicals across the country report on the raw-food movement. Many of the entertainment crowd, concerned with keeping their good looks and vitality in addition to their concern for the planet's ecological state, are also moving towards living foods. Woody Harrelson , an environmental activist noted for stunts such as suspending himself from the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge while holding a banner to legalize hemp, clearly sees this diet as the foundation of a sustainable future in harmony with nature's laws. Woody's Hollywood, Sunset Strip restaurant & oxygen bar, " O2 ", featured a totally Living Foods Vegan menu. Other stars including Madonna, Demi Moore, Danny Glover, Alicia Silverstone, Bryan Adams, Oprah and even Robin Williams are exploring this diet and have featured raw cuisine at Hollywood parties. Boston's own Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is reported to have experimented with a high percentage of living foods in his diet and is purported to have read many of the classics texts on the subject.
Leading Gourmet Living Food Culinary Artist and " Raw Chef for the Stars " Juliano has recently drawn alot of attention to raw foods as a most amazing Culinary Art. He has just released "JULIANO - RAW: A Gourmet Recipe Book" (backed by publishing giant Harper Collins). He has been featured on many talk shows and recipe shows including REGIS & KATHIE LEE and the TODAY Show. His San Francisco Restaurant Organic has been an inspiration to all raw-foodists. In New York City, like the West Coast where this raw culinary art is fast becoming the "hip thing", a large raw-foods movement or community is "buzzing", and several restaurants are offering the raw cuisine.
Boston's Raw Movement, SOL & Organic Garden Restaurant
Over 25 years ago, Boston was the home of Ann Wigmore's Hippocrates Health Institute , known for its educational and healing programs centered around living foods, wheat grass and sprouts. A true pioneer, Ann Wigmore grew up in the care of her grandmother who taught her the ways of natural living. From an early age she felt a deep calling to " help God rebuild the holy temple ". It was later she understood the meaning of that revelation; that her mission was to heal and build a vibrant cellular temple of the human body , capable of holding a higher vibrating "light body". For years the center operated out of a mansion in Boston and attracted the patronage of other pioneers in the living foods arena including Viktoras Kulvinskas , author of "Survival into the 21 st Century", the New Age Classic on cleansing, fruitarianism, body and planet ecology. When the Hippocrates center fell apart before moving to Florida, (founder Ann Wigmore subsequently died in a terrible fire), the Boston movement seemingly came to a halt. Although having a growing spiritual and holistic healing arts community, Boston never seemed to fill the hole left by the loss of Wigmore. This left many Bostonians, now without a "hub" for their progressive living foods lifestyle, waiting for something to inspire them again and give them the sense of community needed to withstand the pressures of the mainstream dietary regimen.
Robert Reid, New England advocate of the living food diet, has tried to create that sense of support and community for the surge of several hundred aspiring raw-foodists with the Society for Organic Life-Foods (SOL) ). Over the last year he has held many lectures, workshops & demonstrations around the greater Boston area on the benefits of the raw plant based diet and recipes. It is hoped that his new restaurant Organic Garden Restaurant & Juice Bar will be a model for the Eco-conscious restaurant of tomorrow and will attract media coverage and the patronage of local celebrities. He believes that in 5 to 10 years, vegan living foods will be a mainstay in the American dining experience.
Why Raw? Life Force Foods Reconnect us to our Original Blueprint
What is the first thing we notice when we step into a garden? Hopefully it is the fragrant smell of the flowers which also dazzle the eye with their beauty. On a living food diet where there is far less stimulation, one's senses become keen, the aromas fill us with joy, tastes explode on the palate, and the world becomes a little bit more colorful, more magical.
The basic premise of a living or raw plant food diet is that by nourishing our bodies with food that has life force, in a relatively short period of time we will have greater life force and hence health and longevity. By going totally natural, we will be reconnected to a blueprint designed over an unfathomable number of years. We will tap into a potential for wholeness like we never knew existed, one of unbelievable vibrancy, which is our natural and God-given birthright! With enzymes, vitamins and other nutrients intact, we will experience food as it is meant to be right from Mother Earth's table, and in the same manner as every other creature on the planet. It is interesting to note that most ANIMALS IN THE WILD (excepting those subject to extreme pollution), who eat their food in a simple raw state, DO NOT GET DIS-EASE, none of them, EVER! After a few generations on raw foods, our species, too, would know no disease (disruption to the ease in life). Sound impossible? A new generation is rising up now who may take us there!
It is a common cliché that "we are what we eat ", but no truer words have ever been spoken. If we eat food with great life force we become filled with great life force . If we eat food that is pure (organic and not chemically altered through cooking) , we will become pure . Along these lines, we also find that "we crave what we are made of "; and that unhealthy diet and addiction perpetuates themselves. A vibrant body craves the sunlight, deep breath, exercise, living foods and all that is good for it, naturally. Life begets life, death begets death. Does fire not destroy? Do enzymes not magically transform?
Digestion 101
In simplest terms, digestion is a process of liquefication that allows minute nutrients to pass through the permeable membrane of the intestinal walls. Enzymes create the action that allows these living plant molecular structures to be utilized by the body. The liver and blood (the body's transport system), play the primary roles in delivering the myriad of known and yet to be discovered nutrients to the many places needed throughout the body.
By examining this process we can clearly see how cooking impedes digestion. The first thing that happens when we cook food is that we take the living water (even nuts are 30% water) out of the foods. Therefore, the body must steal vital fluids to re-hydrate the food in the intestinal tract. Secondly, the pancreas and other organ systems have to work harder to break down the foods which are lacking in enzymes. This explains why someone who eats cooked food has a temperature of 98.6 while a raw-foodist's is closer to 96.8. I found this to be true with all four members on my family (myself, wife, 12-years old son, and 9-years old daughter). Additionally, the body requires a constant, much higher percentage of white blood cells (leukocytosis) to finish the process of digestion, than is found in a raw-foodist. I find these two facts to be astounding support for the principles presented here. Is it any wonder we feel like falling asleep after a meal with the body so desperately working to get the food back to a state where it can hope to extract some usable nutrients?
So what do we need to do to help this critical process?
Firstly, we should eat only when we feel true hunger. The signal is that we can feel the gastric juices in our stomach and salivary system waiting to devour our meal. We should be calm and happy, or digestion will simply not work as well. Next, we need to chew our food extremely well, which, in addition to helping to break the food down, "tags" the food for the metabolic processes the body will need for optimal digestion. As the Indian proverb states, " Chew your food well because your stomach doesn't have teeth ". Finally, we need to eat foods in a raw state, where the enzymes are intact in their biologically active state, where they can play their role of breaking down and making food bio-available.
If we practice these steps, we should be able to achieve a powerful digestive function. It is reasonable to expect a transition period, and some people do experience a problem when they switch to raw foods. This is most often due to a "lazy" digestive system. Very simply their bodies are used to not having to supply as much hydrochloric acid, (HCL) since foods are already broken down or softened by cooking, while on the other hand their pancreas has to supply ALL the enzymes. With raw foods we find a complete reversal of this. The foods require proper chewing and higher amounts of HCL (more abundant if we wait for true hunger), while the raw foods provide most of the enzymes needed. With time our digestive function will adjust.
A reason people sometimes experience a problem digesting fruit is that the sugars from living plant foods can be extremely cleansing. Initially, this can result in a great amount of fermentation and putrefaction of old matter found in the digestive tract. With a little time, this phase too will pass.
Weight Loss, Cleansing, Rebuilding and the Sunfood Triangle
As winter gives way to the spring, we witness the magic of tiny shoots of green plants bursting forth towards the sky. Fountains of sunshine and rain are transformed into a bouquet of rich greens, violets, yellows and reds. The regenerative powers of the earth never cease to amaze. We share this power and only need trust in that.
If weight loss and cleansing the body is your goal, there is no question a living foods diet will produce results. It is simply a matter of persistence. A body provided a raw diet will be able to take control of this process, naturally and at its own speed, which can vary greatly depending on the individual. Although fasting can accelerate the process, it is not recommended for people who have not eaten an organic vegetarian diet for at least 6 months. Eventually a living food diet should be able to get you to where you want to be, even without fasting. Always remember the ultra importance of deep breathing pure air . Many believe this, with living foods, is the single greatest aid to the detoxification of the body .
Some people do not want to lose weight and for them I believe the challenge is even greater. Just because the body may be thin does not mean that there is not a great amount of cleansing that needs to occur. An underweight person may just as easily have a body with poor cellular integrity and low vibrancy,_ one constructed out of less than desirable material, transfatty acids, an abundance of mucous, and a myriad of toxins.
While some people gradually rebuild their "new" body at the same time as they cleanse, others may only rebuild after the purification process is complete. For those underweight, this sometimes requires 1) great conviction in what they know to be true natural laws and 2) a persistent faith in the body's tremendous wisdom. Eventually those who persist will reconstruct an entirely new and vibrant body. We know the typical body replaces 90% of its cells every 2 years, and 100% every 7 years! It is never too late to begin youthing!
For many people, maintaining the new cellular structure can be achieved with a balance of greens, sugars and fats. David Wolfe's Sunfood Triangle , is based on years of testimony from thousands of long time raw-foodist. He suggests an equally weighted diet of: 1) greens, notable for containing protein, minerals, and blood building chlorophyll (i.e. romaine, spinach, sprouts, kale, chard, sprouts, broccoli, etc), 2) sugars for energy, cleansing and abundant living water (whole fresh fruit and dehydrated fruit), and 3) fatty foods, also containing proteins (i.e. avocado, coconut, nuts & seeds). This forms the basis of the triangle. Non-sweet fruits are neutral and found in the middle of the triangle, while soaked and sprouted grains are used in moderation. Raw-foodists generally shy away from legumes, which are more difficult to digest.
After you purify, transition, and begin rebuilding you should naturally be guided to a diet that is right for you, assuming that you avoid overeating which disconnects us from the body's or belly's wisdom. But during the transition, it can actually be good to consume as much living foods as you wish to help fight cooked food cravings and even slow down the detoxifying effects.
Predominant Dietary Myths in Our Culture Today
The Protein Myth: Today we have many books that promote a high protein diet. While it is true that many people overdo it on sugar, which is abundant in grains, pasta and potatoes (the highest food found on the glycemic index), a high cooked protein diet or meat based diet is not the answer. There is an abundance of high quality, more utilizable protein in greens, nuts, seeds and even some fruits; protein from meat, dairy or cooked commercial grain carry great disadvantages.
The gorilla can bench over 4,000 lbs., is a natural fruitarian and one of many examples of how animal or concentrated protein is not needed to build muscle. A proper functioning liver and cleaned out intestinal tract have no problem absorbing, transforming and utilizing the higher quality living protein found in raw fruits, and especially greens, nuts, and seeds. On raw food, the amount of protein needed is much less than the daily recommended amounts. Protein from animal products comes with the associated high levels of acidity, mucus, pathogenic microbial activity, disease and also toxins, hormones, antibiotics and pesticides if not an organic/free range source. If it is from meat that one receives additional hormones the animal releases from the adrenaline rush caused by fear, torture & pain during the slaughter
The Fat Myth: Here lies an even more predominant misconception than the protein myth. Withstanding a probable mineral deficiency, fat from raw plant foods are the greatest deficiency occurring in the diet of the average American. It is true, however, that cooked fat should be avoided entirely ! Fats are highly unstable (most oils found on supermarket shelves are actually rancid) and the cooking process turns them into transfatty acids, which are highly carcinogenic . The human cell wall built from transfatty acids will have extremely poor integrity, allowing vital fluids and nutrients to escape while inviting toxins and microbes inside. We desperately need raw plant based fats to build vibrant cells and to protect us from free radical damage. The brain and nervous system (conduits for electrical transfer) depend on healthy fats.
Because fats from raw plant foods contain the enzymes to break them down properly, they are not fattening. Also, there is no cholesterol found in the plant kingdom. The deadly cholesterol which our human organism cannot process is only found in animal products (including chicken & fish). Some of the best sources for essential fatty acids, including Omega 6 and 3, are raw wheat germ and flax seed, which contain more than Salmon without the cholesterol. Do yourself a great favor and include an abundance of raw plant fats in your dietary regimen. After you have rebuilt your new cellular structure (1 to 3 years), then you may find that you naturally desire less fats and more sweet fruits.
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A quick introduction to working with grains and seeds
Most grains can be eaten in a raw state by first soaking or sprouting them. A favorite Is Organic Long Grain Black Wild Rice . The Great Owl Canadian Lakes brand is the only wild rice we have found that will consistently soften and puff up through soaking for 24 to 48 hours. This tasty rice can be eaten plain or one can add a favorite dressing, Braggs Liquid Aminos, or Nama Shoyu to enhance the flavor. Like the wild rice , Pearled Barley need only be soaked in water for 48 hours to be soft enough to eat and can be used with a dressing or added to warmed (not cooked) Miso soup. Wheat, Kamut or Rye can be soaked 6 hours to overnight and then sprouted (rinse and drain, then allow to germinate in darkness inside a glass jar for 2 to 3 days, rinsing each day). Sprinkle the grains on a salad. Raw Oat Groats can be soaked 24 to 48 hours, changing the water once daily, and then combined in a blender with water, spices and a sweetener to taste. A favorite recipe for Raw Oat Porridge calls for 1 cup soaked raw oat groats, water to desired consistency with 1 tsp. Cardamom, ½ tsp. cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of raw honey or maple syrup (which is not raw but we'll make an exception here).
Seeds are even easier to work with and require only overnight soaking to make seed sauce. Soak 1 cup Sunflower or a mixture of Sunflower, Pumpkin and Flax Seed overnight and prepare a blended seed sauce as per the instructions given for the previously mentioned Raw Oat Porridge. Experiment with other spices. Hulled Sesame Seed Sauce can be prepared the same way, soaking the seeds overnight and blending with water. We find that sesame seed sauce also lends itself nicely to hot spices and combines well with oils, raw organic apple cider vinegar, lemon, ginger or garlic for tasty salad and rice dressings. |
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Vibrant Living Conscious Cells vs. Poor Cellular Integrity, Acidity And Mucous
Our bodies are filled with billions of cells, each one a living entity filled with consciousness and information, which is much like the Earth, a living organism also filled with billions of conscious living creatures. In a truly vibrant body, each of these cells, built of the highest organic materials, are ecstatic to be alive. Because they do not break down easily, or require very little maintenance, we know that the nutritional research and RDA's as exist today do not apply to the person whose body is constructed out of vibrant living foods. But a body built out of cooked material that is without any life force lacks cellular integrity and does in fact break down more easily, thus requiring a higher amount of nutrient replenishment.
Unhealthy cells, as viewed under a microscope, are often misshapen and clump together due to a lack of sun transformed electrical charge, which is removed during the cooking process. This results in low oxygenation and poor transportation of nutrients and waste, and toxic build up, due to the fact that the surface area is dramatically decreased when the blood cells are stacked like coins. This factor, combined with excess mucous and acidity from the over-consumption of cooked grains, potatoes, pasta, dairy, meat and other mucous and acid-forming foods, often invites parasites or advanced microbial activity, which flourish in this environment. According to the theory proposed in the Science of Darkfield Microscopy under which this activity is easily viewed, these microbes are regulators and decomposers. In a truly healthy state, we live happily in symbiosis with them, but when low vibrancy cells are sending out "the wrong message", the microbe may be told it's time to go to work on tearing us down. This is often the situation when cancer occurs.
This is not to say that some people do not achieve a reasonably high level of vibrancy on a cooked food diet, for there are always exceptions. In this case, I believe they are the people with exceptionally strong Chi (energy) through mostly positive attitudes on life. Unfortunately, it is in times of great stress, when our "Chi" protective field is down, that "the microbe" has an opportunity to damage our cellular structure. Eventually, with loss of their body's enzymes reserves, and routine overworking of their organ systems, the degenerative process will accelerate; these folks will not be able achieve the unbelievable level of vibrancy or longevity that is possible on living foods.
Finally, what our cells really crave is to be bathed in living alkaline extracellular fluid, created from the living water of fresh fruit juices. As mentioned, proper pH balance of our tissues and bodily fluids eludes nearly all people who eat high amounts of cooked food, breads, pasta, grains, dairy & meat which are all highly acidic and mucous forming foods.
Living Food and The Healing arts
We have received great feedback from catering holistic events and networking with many people in the healing arts (such as channelers, yoga and energy workers), attesting to the fact that a higher vibration and level of intuition becomes available once on the Living Foods Diet. On raw-foods, your sensitivities to the wonder of nature and feelings of connectedness increase dramatically. You literally feel the amazing life force coursing throughout your body, and can clearly feel this literal vibration anytime you stop to notice it! How inspiring is this when we perform our healing work! Consuming a raw plant diet is like consuming the suns energy (we all know about photosynthesis). Consume the light. Become the light and shine!
In a recent article in Vegetarian Voice Magazine, Dr Klapper, M.D., an authority on the vegan diet serving on the Nutritional Task Force of the American Medical Students Association stated, "I know people who are sustaining themselves on predominantly raw foods - and they seem healthy and extremely energetic. They report clearer thought patterns and greater productivity in their daily lives. In my own experience there is no question that the more raw food I eat the lighter and more energetic I feel."
Levels of Raw-Food, Emotional and Spiritual Cleansing
Logic cannot win someone over to the idea of a predominantly raw food diet if they are not ready for it. When the time is right, they may be drawn to exploring the possibilities. You could say we have plenty of time to "get it right", and that people intuitively know where they are at on their "journey", and whether they are ready for physical, emotional & spiritual cleansing and a higher vibration. But right now, I feel a sense of mission around teaching and inspiring others to consider an organic living foods diet because of the great suffering of our land, oceans, atmosphere and millions of plant and animal species. All we can do is teach by example, make this information more available, hope that the media will give this new paradigm the attention it deserves, and allow people to make decisions for themselves.
Generally I like to present the ideal, a total 100% organic living foods diet, while expressing acceptance and flexibility for where people are at. Ultimately, the message is that any increase in the level of organic living foods in the diet will result in benefits to the individual . That being said, very few people change overnight. We're more likely to create lasting change by taking steps towards a goal. When we begin to realize how many wonderful simple & gourmet raw-food choices there are, and our palate begins to awaken, we can start to picture ourselves gradually giving up the cooked staples of our dietary regimen. While we are grateful for the groundwork that cooked food vegetarians have been laying for years, we encourage them to explore the immense joy and strength that is the gift of an organic living food diet.
According to common sense observation of nature, 100% raw is the totally natural way to eat. But most people, no matter how inspired they are, may have trouble with one of the following factors.
First, the power of addiction and the pull of Society's support of that addiction is great; it cannot be underestimated. Here is where getting past the learning curve helps; as we get the processed junk out of the house and learn more tasty ways to work with the food, it is naturally easier to "stay raw". We realize that there is a whole new world of culinary delights, sweet and even heavy or "filling" raw foods to satisfy every craving we may have. That is not to say that we won't do well to have discipline, because we will. The trick is to be able to stay "raw" when we are out of the home and in the "den of the lions", so to speak. That's where good planning comes into play .
Second, we need to transtion slowly, depending on how toxic our bodies are . As much as we would like to think we can purify are bodies overnight, the reality is that it takes 6 months to 3 years for most people. If you are one of those people with unbelievable conviction and discipline, then I do believe a raw-food diet of strictly organic food and a little fasting can get you there in 6 months.
Lastly, the raw food diet also cleanses the emotional and spiritual body . This should not be underestimated, and may be an important contributing factor to prior failure on a raw-foods diet. Many of us are carrying a significant amount of emotional and spiritual baggage. In the past, cleansing on these levels may have been a great hindrance to success. But my personal belief now is that we are on the cusp of a great awakening, part of a greater cosmic cycle. This, I believe, has opened up a window of opportunity to more easily release this emotional and karmic load, whereas before it may have been difficult. With the vibration of the planet literally increasing (according to Greg Bradden , it is scientifically proven that the resonant frequency or the Earth's electromagnetic pulse is increasing) it may, in fact, be necessary to raise our vibration in order to stay in synk with Earth's now higher pulsation. I truly believe we being called to raise the vibration in our bodies, and organic living food may be necessary to achieve this.
Is 100% Raw for You?
Many total raw-foodists swear there is a massive difference between 95% and 100% raw that is exponential. There is literally a certain magic that you can only get on 100% raw. Add a heavy dose of good fortune & lucky coincidences to non-stop high vibration Chi or Kundalini energy, and you know what they're talkin' abou!
Additionally, it seems that as much as we would believe that we can control our addiction to cooked food and just savor a few cooked items on an occasional basis, testimony and much personal experience with this indicate that it is not easily done. If you are already demonstrating a certain maturity around food, as exemplified by eating only when you have true hunger and then not to excess, then you may be able to achieve the high level vibration on a 70% to 90% raw diet. But most of us eventually overdo it, binge out, fall off track and interfere with our intestinal tract and liver, which are still trying to heal and achieve perfect absorption levels. The difference between mostly raw and totally raw is something that many individuals may have to test and find out for themselves. As your level of health improves, you'll become more sensitive to what works and doesn't. You'll become an energy junkie who always wants to feel incredible. 100% raw assures you the experience of magical life force coursing through your entire body! It assures you of keen senses.
Other Rewards of a Predominately or Total Raw-food Diet
People really can't imagine what is like to have unbelievable vitality if they have never known what that is. They don't know what they missing. Also, few people have the ability to see far enough into the future to realize that suffering and degeneration is coming at some point, a point that is unnecessarily too soon. This degeneration can be slowed down dramatically. Disease, suffering, and commonly accepted lifespans are not acceptable. We need to rethink our standards around aging and degeneration. The human body has much greater potential, which more than 99% of the time goes untapped. According to ancient text found in a number of spiritual traditions, the body is designed to live at least 144 years. It is encoded in our genetic blueprint! It is our God-given birthright!
Yes, there is a two-fold transition process of cleansing and of the digestive process adapting to the new regimen, but following this period of detoxification and many times in between one will experience the great vitality that only a raw-foodist can tell you about. Many people exercise because they know it is good for them, but how many people can claim to truly feel like a kid again, to match your child's vitality as you play or sprint across a field of grass. I lost this years ago, but now have it all the time! Once the mucous is cleared from the body you may never again see another cold. Colds and flu's are nothing more than the body taking advantage of a virus or bacteria for the opportunity to cleanse. On a raw-food diet, following the cleansing and transition process, you will require much less sleep; 4 to 6 hours is common! You literally begin youthing!
Without question, raw-foodists also agree that the Raw-Food Diet increases sensitivities to the Sacred, the Earth & the Cosmos, as it literally brings more life force, energy, electricity and light into the body. It accelerates spiritual growth, awakens the Kundalini energy, increases awareness and improves mediation practices. The energetic properties of food are completely overlooked by traditional nutrition studies . SPIRITUAL AWAKENING WILL UNFOLD IF THE VESSEL, OR TEMPLE, BECOMES PURE!
Inner Pollution: The One Disease of the Body & Planet Ecology
Inner Pollution is the one disease of the Body & Planet Ecology. It is the root cause behind the individual, environmental and social disharmony that is prevalent today, and it underlies all manner of external pollution. As a general rule, a toxic condition results from 1) the consumption of poor quality non-organic food, 2) habitual overeating, and 3) denaturing of our food through cooking and processing. Inner pollution of the human physical, mental and emotional body, (the smallest part of the planetary whole), destroys not only our health, but more importantly the courage and wisdom that is found in the belly. An extreme example of this loss of courage due to a sick belly, is how we turn into complete babies when we feel nauseous. In a physiologically and emotionally weakened or polluted state, we become apathetic. This is where we begin to allow all manner of environmental destruction to occur, as our freedoms are insidiously taken away from us.
It is from a place of purity and emptiness in the belly, that Courage, Wisdom and Intuition can shine though. Ultimately, WE THE PEOPLE do have the power, but as suggested, with bellies and bodies that are stuffed or over-stimulated, through the overeating of deficient, toxic & lifeless food, our power & courage, are stripped away from us. Conversely, these virtues, found in the "gut", come out and increase with sobriety, moderation, fasting & natural diet that connects us with our original "blueprint" . Connect us back to our blueprint and we will become valiant, spirited & intolerant of social injustices and the many unhealthy practices that are devastating our planet . As we purify, our senses become more aware of the pollution around us, also fostering a healthy intolerance of environmental wrongdoing.
Raw is the Ultimate Eco-Conscious Diet
Most of us are aware of the enormous detrimental impact that meat consumption has on the environment. In addition to health concerns, animal rights and overall respect for life, this is one of main reasons for becoming vegetarian. But this is often where our awareness ends. With the cooked food addiction, we are typically pulled into the use of many processed items in our dietary regimen, including a vast sundry of condiments, breads, chips, pastas etc. that all go through some degree of processing. This processing is not without its detrimental effect on the environment. Additionally, these items all come in some form of packaging. Analysis of many items reveals an astonishing web of manufacturing and transportation that goes into the final product.
The raw-food diet requires no processing, packaging and if local organic foods are chosen, then impact from transportation and chemical use in growing are also minimized. The raw-food diet is the only near "no-pollution" diet! The cooking process obviously also requires a great use of energy, hence the wasting of precious resources that power our energy systems. Even in third world countries of warmer climates, massive amounts of trees are cut down for the purpose of cooking. Also, as one becomes more cleaned out, one's "alarm system" is more sensitive to pollutants everywhere, and one becomes fed up with the causes of pollution.
Back to the Garden: Nature's Master Plan
" We are Stardust, We are Golden, & We've Got to Get Ourselves, Back to the Garden " - Joni Mitchell.
To me, Back to the Garden , means reestablishing the connection between our bodies, our bellies, our food and the land. If we really have a hope of getting Back to the Garden, it is organic living foods that provide us the foundation for getting there. For as we transform and heal the micro so do we also heal and transform the macro.
To borrow yet again from David Wolfe and others ... A grain and animal eating society leaves behind a desert; a fruit eating society leaves behind a garden. Here the simplicity our destiny to be fruitarian is clearly illustrated. It is nature's divine plan for this to be so. Grain plants take nutrients from the topsoil and do not replace them. Fruit trees reach deep down into the Earth to pull up nutrients and then compost the soil with falling fruit and leaves, also providing a rich soil for our vegetables to be grown around the fruit trees. The human like the honeybee collecting pollen, forages for the fruits and carries off the seed to far away places. Humans and fruit trees were made to help each other. A neglected fruit tree produces poorer fruit. The entire Earth could become a beautiful garden with an overwhelming abundance of fresh living food, if we just planted fruit and nut trees everywhere!
And finally I leave you with this:
There is nothing more spiritual than being close to nature. Honoring your body and the Earth must come first and in your heart you know this to be true. Eating food in a living state brings us closer to nature. It is critical to bless your food before each meal. Thank the Creator, Mother Earth, the food itself, the farmer, and the health food store employees. Put your hands over the food and harmonize with its life force. You may add additional prayer at this time. Prayers are answered when they are for the highest good. If you engage in this spiritual practice before each meal , you can see how quickly it will begin to add up. It will also calm the mind and digestion will be improved.
Eat a strictly 100% organic diet and nature will reward you tenfold. Absolutely do not worry about the costs, the rewards will be exponentially greater. Your body is sacred and you need to respect that. Do not look upon any level of poison as acceptable. When you buy organic you are voting for a pure and sustainable planet. There is no greater contribution you can make. You will no longer be poisoning the farmer, his wife, their children and the neighbors by supporting the spraying of poisons on crops. Their cancer and the pollution of the Earth and her creatures will not be added to your karma.
Regularly make time to spend with nature, in the forests, with animals, and in the open fresh air. Inspire yourself to be all that you are meant to be. There is something about you that is more special than anyone else, something you are the best at. Find out who you are and learn to truly love and honor yourself, your family and your neighbor. Reconnecting to nature and eating pure living food will help you to do that. You deserve all the health, wealth, peace and love that the Creator can give.
I believe in you.
Rawbert
