Eating raw foods is one of the most healthful diets known to man, so the more raw foods we are able to implement into our diets the better. I love drinking raw, fresh juices because I know that these juices are full of raw food enzymes, minerals and vitamins. The fact that they are juiced makes them easily digestible, and they cleanse while they nourish.
When I first learned that I had Rheumatoid Arthritis the first thing I did was start on my juice fast and raw food diet right away. I also started studying the health benefits of the wonderful seaweed, spirulina and chlorella. These seaweeds are more than wonderful, and they deserve an article dedicated to them alone. I began sprouting alfalfa, broccoli and any seeds I could get my hands on.
After a few months of eating raw, I had lost excess poundage and even though I don’t eat totally raw now, I have maintained no inflammation in any area of my body. If I do get inflammation, I will return immediately to only raw, living foods. A living diet nourishes a living body. Some people say that a raw diet is hard to stick to, and I suppose it can be, but for me I was at the point where I wanted to be healthy more than I cared about the difficulty.
Soon, I realized that my cravings had gone away and I notice that if I go without something, like pineapple for instance, I will soon start craving it. Our body craves what we eat, so if we eat twinkies we will crave them. If we consistently eat apples that is what we will crave. Food particles invade every part of our body through our cells, and our cells send messages telling us what they want us to eat.
A Naturopath might recommend fasting on fresh fruit and vegetable juices once a week, I however recommend that if you are willing and able, drink fresh juices whenever you can. If you can grow the vegetables in your own garden the better, and always attempt to buy organic when possible. If you can drink them everyday, great! You don’t have to fast to get the great benefits from fresh, raw juice.
Fresh, raw smoothies are good for what ails the soul, and they are tasty like a milkshake too. (recipe below)
If you decide to do a one day fast on occasion, this is the technique:
*A fast means 24 hours (not 12)
*I start from evening to evening. At sunset on Saturday to sunset on Sunday, as an example.
*choose a day when fewer demands are made on you physically
*prepare the day before by eating simple whole foods, cooked and raw vegetables, fruit and brown rice
*The day before avoid sweetened foods, and meat
*The day before drink water, fruit juice and herb tea in place of coffee, tea and alcohol
You can mix apple and carrots together, but it is advised to keep fruit and vegetable juices separate in order to avoid flatulence. Drink plenty of fresh pure water as you see fit, and one to two quarts (two to four pints) of juice and water is an acceptable amount of fluid. As you become an expert, you will be able to judge how much you desire, and the amount which is best for you.
A variety of fruits and vegetables is the ideal, as different fruits and vegetables contain different properties, for instance, apples have pectin which help remove toxins and watermelon is a diuretic.
For a vegetable juice try celery and carrots as a main base, and add spinach, beets and tomatoes. Make it a vegetable cocktail by adding herbs of your choice (no salt).
When I first started fasting I would experience headaches, but after awhile these symptoms disappear for as the body cleanses itself from toxins.
When you are finished your fast it is tempting to run down to the 7-11 and get a coke and a candy bar, but this would be counter-productive to what you are trying to accomplish. Start out eating salads, fruits, vegetables and soups, then start adding whole grains and other foods.
I can’t stress this enough, that fasting is not for everyone, there are some people who should not fast. It is always wise to check first with your doctor before changing your diet, especially if it is extreme.
Fasting should not be attempted by:
*children
*diabetics
*epileptics
*people suffering from low-blood sugar (If you become light-headed or get a headache when you miss a meal)
Those who should always seek the advice of a doctor before attempting any fast are those with:
*enemia
*any form of cancer
*TB
*Leukemia
*those who tire easily
Though fasting can help the healing process, the measure is just too extreme for some people. I won’t lie to you, it took me a year to feel better after being diagnosed with RA. When our body heals itself it takes time, it takes patience, and it takes trust that our amazing immune system can and will see us through. For some people raw foods and fasting can make a difference. For others, making raw foods and raw juices part of an otherwise balanced diet , also including fresh air, exercise and stress reduction.
Our diets make up only one component of an over-all lifestyle of health, and it is wise to make dietary changes, however, in order for my immune system to reverse its attack on me, I had to remove myself from other toxic environmental factors. Part of my healing process included:
*Moving from a toxic part of the country to a place which provides for lower stress living and fresh air.
*Removing myself from toxic and abusive people (people can be highly toxic, but sometimes because of the type of relationship involved it is not possible to remove yourself, so the following advice may be helpful)
*Professional or self-therapy which focuses on removing the source of toxin emotionally, by removing yourself mentally from the person who is toxic (i.e. not taking it personally, learning to deflect and take responsibility for your own actions and reactions)
*Being happy is a choice, and not something that someone else provides.
Taking control of your own spirituality, and removing yourself from toxic churches as soon as you realize that their purpose for existence is not in your own best interest. You take spiritual responsibility by:
*Realizing that your relationship is with your maker, not with your pastor and by realizing that although fellowship is nice, nothing is nice enough to become dictator to your spiritual walk with Father YAH.
*I have had to be sorry for being a toxic person, and change my ways.
*The greatest spiritual healer is true forgiveness and mercy to those who have hurt you. Forgiving yourself is as important as the forgiveness you extend to others.
It is a combination of lifestyle factors which come together for true physical, mental, emotional and spiritual healing.
Strawberry Goji Berry Smoothie:
1 fresh young coconut
1 Cup Strawberries, chopped
1 kiwi
2 TBSPS. Agave
1-4th cup soaked Goji Berries
Carefully scrape the coconut flesh and pour the coconut water into a bowl and take out all the splinters and fibers and pour into blender, add the rest of the ingredients and blend to desired consistency.
(you can also use almond milk if you don’t like or have no access to coconut)
Peach smoothie
1 peach
1 pear
1 apricot
1 banana
water to desired consistency (about one-half cup)
1 TBSP. Agave
blend and enjoy.
http://www.juicefasting.org/
Bryan Au “Raw in Ten Minutes”
http://www.1stholistic.com/Prayer/hol_spiritual_healing.htm
Reference:
- www.juicefasting.org/
- Bryan Au “Raw in Ten Minutes”
- www.1stholistic.com/Prayer/hol_spiritual_healing.htm
