Raw Food Detox Journal – Day 2
Why eat a raw food diet? Organic, raw food is more nutritious. Living, uncooked, organic foods contain more enzymes, vitamins and fiber. We need enzymes to digest food – enzymatic action is the first, critical step in getting nutrients to the cells in our body. And we don’t get enough enzymes from our food.
Our soils have been so depleted by farming practices and genetically engineered seeds that many vitamins and other nutrients in our crops are only a fraction of what they used to be. Cooking kills any remaining enzymes (it also depletes vitamins and alters the chemical composition of fats). When our stomachs don’t get the enzymes needed to digest a meal, they are stolen from other places in the body – and that leads to all kinds of health problems.
If you eat an organic, raw – or mostly raw – diet, and follow correct food combining rules fairly well, you will not suffer from gas, constipation, poorly digested food, or heartburn. Extra weight just falls off, your energy increases, your eyes start to brighten and your skin clears up (especially if you give up dairy). Raw food can prevent and in many cases (me included), heal certain physical conditions and diseases. I figured I’d been so sick and had tried all the easy fixes (prescription pills), what the hell – what did I have to lose?
And little did I know that raw food can be delicious and varied, and is way more than just crunching on broccoli and carrots. I was to learn that there are raw food replacements for practically everything, from pizza to cookies.
I began on July 1 of 2006. What follows is the second day on my raw food detoxing experience:
June 2, 2006
Decisions thus far:
- I am going without dairy as an experiment (I probably will stay off it.).
- I am not eating cow or pig ever again; no more hamburgers – for me or my son, Zack.
- No more fast food. Never stepping foot into McD’s again (and Zack is willing).
- I am working toward giving up all other meat sources as I figure out replacements and how to prepare tasty meals with them.
- I am buying organic foods; no more processed or GM food, or food that is chemically grown, prepared or treated in any way.
- I want to eat things that are fresh, not dead.
- I am giving up wheat. I know my stomach reacts terribly to it, so I will listen to my body.
- I joined a food coop. Having organic food sent to me from local farmers and suppliers.
- I am going to farmer’s markets. (Went today for first time this year.)
- I am giving up caffeine (giving myself a little time with this one, it���s a biggie) and, please-oh-please-goddess-help-me, sugar.
- I WILL TASTE MY FOOD!
Furthermore, I will eat slower, and take time to appreciate it and give thanks for it – truly. I will live within the guidelines set by my values, which means I will no longer be supporting big corporations like Coke and Kraft. I haven’t shopped at Walmart in years. I just need to carry that same discipline over to other corrupt corporations.
My physical problems: the difficulty breathing, chronic back and hip pain, muscle pain, headaches, asthma and mold in my lungs (finally had to get a biopsy to figure that one out) and low energy might even be healed. I’ll be able to get off the prescription medicines for those ailments that come with such a high price tag: side effects. I know at the least, my energy will improve and the lung problem will get better as I detox from the sugar (sugar causes phlegm – enough said on that).
I just feel better already, knowing that I am being truer to my ideals.