Simply Raw and Raw For Life
You may have noticed that many of my recipes are raw food recipes. If you're really serious about eating healthy, I believe this is the way to go. I notice the tremendous difference in my own body when I'm eating healthy raw and living foods compared to when I'm eating healthy cooked food.
Back in the 1980s I went raw. I was hired as a chef in a vegetarian restaurant that also featured raw food. It was my first introduction to raw and living food, and it was great being able to try everything. But because I was also making cooked food, and I'm good with creating new recipes, but I have to try it as I go along I was also eating cooked food.
Later, after I left that job and was working to set up a deli in a large health food shop, I ended up going raw without even realizing it at first. I was living in Florida at the time. I had a champion juicer, which I loved and I made fresh fruit and vegetable juice and fruit ice creams daily. At work I'd have a huge heaping plate of raw salads from the deli, usually with a big piece of marinated tempeh. Of course, Florida has just great fruit, and young coconuts were easy to find and inexpensive. So most of what I ate in a day was raw. And an amazing thing happened. My body never did really well in really hot (or cold) climates, and in Florida I'd get exhausted easily in the heat, I would avoid going outside for long in the middle of day because it was just too much for me. All my life I had always felt like I didn't have enough energy. But a couple of weeks after falling into this mostly raw diet I started running on my lunch break. I'd come back dripping with sweat, but feeling great and full of energy. It was the hotest time of day and it didn't even phase me! I'd spend the rest of my break eating my huge salad. I found I didn't need as much sleep, yet my mind was clear and I felt really rested. I realized I never smelled bad, even when I was sweating profusely, and I didn't have bad breath, even first thing in the morning. I had more energy than I could use, for the first time in my life. When it finally hit me that I was eating a mostly raw food diet, I realized that was responsible for all the positive changes I noticed and why I felt so great all the time.
Sunday, April 25th is Reversing Diabetes Action Day. Health experts will come together to spread accurate and effective information on how to reverse diabetes. In honor of this day the team behind the film “Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30 Days” is giving away their film for an amazing 50% OFF the regular price. You can get it here.
If you haven't yet seen this film, I can tell you it's totally inspirational. We are told that diabetes is incurable. One of my favorite parts of the film is when Dr Gabriel Cousens is talking to the participants shortly after they arrive, and he says, “for me, diabetes is really easy to cure.” How often have we heard that? But it's true, as he goes on to prove it – both type 2 and type 1 diabetes. I was amazed at how quickly the participants were able to come off their insulin.
The film also features the actor Woody Harrelson, peak performance coach Tony Robbins, Rev. Michael Beckwith from “The Secret,” Morgan Spurlock from “Super Size Me,” Dr. Gabriel Cousens and David Wolfe, Dr Fred Bisci who's a pioneer in the field of health and nutrition and an absolute hero of mine, and more. This is definitely a film worth watching. Even if you don't have diabetes (I don't, and I'm so glad I saw this film).
You can also get the companion 2-DVD set to “Simply Raw: Reversing Diabetes in 30
Days” for 50% OFF which is totally worth getting. In fact, even if you don't have diabetes and aren't interested in watching Simply Raw, this 2-DVD set called “Raw For Life”. The “Raw For Life” DVDs have lots more information about how to raw, and the benefits, as well as guest spots with many raw food chefs showing how to make some of their favorite recipes. This is the set that I'll watch again and again. It's a great resource if you are interested in eating a raw food diet.
Whether you're in perfect health or suffering with diabetes or any other health issue I highly recommend you watch both “Simply Raw” and “Raw For Life”. It's a powerful, emotional and educational film that is a must see for anyone who cares about their health. You can watch the trailer and read about what the Simply Raw team is doing here.
Diabetes is a pandemic situation with over 246 million people suffering worldwide. If you or anyone you know is dealing with diabetes make sure that they watch this film. It just may save their life…
The 50% OFF is a ridiculously low price for the film. Plus they've added so many great bonus products to it that it's just a must-have if you're really interested in healthy eating. Check it out:
Oral health is so important for our overall health. Bad breath is certainly an indicator of one’s general level of health and is totally avoidable. Good on you for finding a cure for yours!
I am interested in raw eating and experiment with juicing and after reading a post on another blog recently became interested in smoothies that incorporate vegetables. I am not interested in a totally vegetarian lifestyle and I believe some things are better eaten steamed. I am not interested in the videos but I am interested something you may have written yourself. Is the cookbook for kids your creation? Are the recipes on the blog all ones you have made and eaten yourself and therefore endorse? I will be signing up for your email updates and would like to know about things you have created yourself.
.-= Bruce “the Mid-Life Mentor”´s last blog ..BREAST CANCER RISK – Reduce YOURS =-.
Hi Bruce, thanks for the questions.
I didn’t write the Monkey Mike cookbook, but I have read it and I think it’s great.
I have created and written nearly all these recipes myself (I think there is one I didn’t create). If I make something I don’t like (and it does happen occasionally) I don’t post it. I actually have lots more recipes I just haven’t had the time to put on the site yet.
I also endorse the Green Smoothie Challenge. I did it. It was my introduction to green smoothies. I had heard of them, but the first time I actually started making and drinking them was through the green smoothie challenge. The challenge is free but you can upgrade to the books for a small price. I did and it was totally worth it. Great information, tons of green smoothie recipes. I think even more importantly though is that it taught me the concept of green smoothies, so I became really confident in making them myself from ingredients I had on hand (in the garden).
I am working on an ebook about green smoothies which will have some recipes. And I do eventually want to put together my own raw recipe book. If you sign up for the email updates you’ll hear about it when I get my books finished.
It’s great that you want to do some experimentation with juicing and green smoothies. Even if you just change that one thing about your diet you should notice the benefits. You may notice yourself craving more raw foods and greens because of them. That’s what happened to me. My diet just got better and better until I decided I could make the jump into totally raw. I’ve been eating that way for over 2 weeks now and it was really much easier than I thought… I think because I’d built up gradually to it.
I hope that answers all your questions, but let me know if you have any more.
Donna
This is really interesting information. i don’t know of anyone with diabetes, but my hubby does have a problem with weight. he has lose quite a bit by eating more vebetables and for my self I am really enjoying eating the raw ones with him.
I have to check out some of your receipes. Sounds like a great idea, but can I have a few brownies once in a while?
Debbie
.-= Debbie @ Happy Maker´s last blog ..Secret to happiness is Feeling Fearless in Your Clothing =-.
Hi Debbie, it’s great to hear your husband has had some success losing weight by eating more raw. I wasn’t too overweight but I was carrying more than I feel comfortable with, and it was amazing when I started eating raw, it just dropped off me effortlessly. I actually started drinking kombucha before I went raw, and I used it to replace the soda, and so-called ‘energy drinks’ that I’d been having. I lost a noticeable amount of weight from that. From there I moved onto green smoothies as well, and lost a bit more. But it was a major transformation when I started eating mostly raw foods. My friends who haven’t seen me for a month or so were absolutely amazed.
Hehe, you can have a few brownies once in a while. In fact, raw cacao (cacao is the bean they make chocolate from) is a superfood! It’s incredibly nutritious, high in antioxidants. And it’s so easy to use raw cacao powder to make delicious chocolates and other desserts. In fact there are so many raw food dessert books you won’t believe it. The raw dessert recipes I’ve tried or created are delicious. But you don’t get that lethargic feeling after you eat them, and they are guilt-free because they are actually GOOD for you. I’ve just ordered some more raw cacao, so I’ll be putting some raw chocolate recipes up soon. So, if you make raw brownies, you could have them every day!