Ann McGrath | Articles

So, Where Do You Get Your Protein?

I get this question SO often, that I decided to share this post from Karen Knowler. She answers it perfectly!

"So, Where Do You Get Your Protein?"

One of the most common questions you will be asked when you dabble with raw foods is: "Sounds great, but... where do you get your protein?"

Well, I have known for years that to become protein deficient on ANY diet can take some doing (although isn't impossible), but on a raw diet there are some interesting surprises when it comes to discovering what has a little and what has a lot.

Read on for the facts and figures that will either help you to feel at peace with your raw diet or help you make some positive changes...

First of all, let's be clear that we are not eating protein per se, but amino acids which combine together to create protein. So as long as we are eating a good quantity and quality of food (ideally organic as standard) and eat a wide variety of foods in the necessary amounts, then our protein needs should be more than adequately met.
There are 22 amino acids that our body needs to thrive - or at least that is what science has identified to date (we must always remember that nutrition is not yet a complete science and may well never be). Eight of these are termed "essential amino acids" because the body cannot manufacture them itself and therefore needs to obtain them from food. In a raw vegan diet, the best and most concentrated sources of amino acids come from those food groups listed below, although protein is present in every living thing, so not getting enough, while not impossible, is generally difficult!

Green Leafy Vegetables
Nuts
Seeds
Sprouted Grains
Sprouted Beans
And some good examples of foods from each of these food groups are:

Spinach, kale, broccoli, sprouted wild rice, carob, cacao, oats, raisins, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds (linseed), sprouted wheat, sprouted buckwheat, sprouted soya beans, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, peanuts, hemp seeds, hemp protein powder (excellent), sprouted quinoa, mung beans, lentils, aduki, chickpeas etc., bee pollen, spirulina, E3 Live, Pure Synergy, maca, avocado, and many more - so plenty of choice!

If you eat dairy produce, the cleanest source widely available in the UK that I currently know of is Emmental Organic Cheese which is available in the organic dairy section of various supermarkets. This is unpasteurised cheese so is a raw food, but not vegan.

Raw Protein Facts & Figures

The RDA of protein for an adult female is cited as being somewhere between 45g and 50g per day, with an additional 25g required when breastfeeding. For adult males the figures cited stretches between 45g and 65g per day, depending on who you listen to. More protein is needed by those who are especially active or athletes.

Our bodies recycle approximately 80% of our protein; cooked protein is denatured and largely unusable, thus our raw protein need may very well be far lower than what is taught by conventional dietetics.

35g of bee pollen can satisfy one man's protein requirements for a whole day - it contains more protein per gram than meat or fish.

High Protein Content Vegan Raw Foods
1 cup sprouted lentils = 49g
1 cup haricot beans (navy) = 46g
1 cup sprouted aduki beans (adzuki) = 39g
1 cup broad beans (fava) = 39g
1 cup sprouted black eye beans (cowpea) = 39g
1 cup sprouted chickpeas (garbanzos) = 38g
1 cup peanuts = 37g
1 cup pumpkin seeds = 33g
1 cup sunflower seeds = 32g
1 cup almonds = 28g
1 cup oats = 26g
1 cup sprouted wheat = 21g

The key, as you can see, is to ideally eat sprouts every day - especially if you are trying to eat low fat - and to eat lots of greens (which are about 1-2g protein per cup) with them. An avocado - most raw fooders’ great love - offers 4g of protein per fruit, not great, but it all adds up. (Many raw fooders eat 3+ avocadoes per day, which equates to a quarter of an individual’s protein needs before anything else has even been eaten.)

My final and potentially most useful piece of advice for this short piece is to visit http://www.fitday.com/. Here you can enter what you have eaten in a day and get a reading for the fat, protein, carbs and calories eaten that day. It also shows you what percentage of your daily intake comes from where - very enlightening!

So, a lot of info here but I hope you feel confident enough now that you can indeed receive adequate protein on a raw food diet. Naturally as a first stop I would recommend that you get sprouting those seeds and beans and check out fitday.com to see how you are faring so far. Then it's just a case of further exploration and refinement until you find what works for you.

Karen Knowler, The Raw Food Coach publishes "Successfully Raw" - a free weekly eZine for raw food lovers everywhere. If you're ready to look good, feel great and create a raw life you love get your FREE tips, tools and recipes now at www.TheRawFoodCoach.com.

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Enzymes and Living Food, by Brenda Cobb

Enzymes are the most important element to aid digestion and to maintain health. None of us could live long without enzymes. They perform in the body and the brain in a fantastic and powerful way.

Our bodies are home to billions of enzymes all working in intricate ways. One molecule of the enzyme found in blood will split five million molecules of hydrogen peroxide into molecules of water and oxygen in sixty seconds! Enzymes found in the intestines can break up a million times their weight of sugar and fat molecules.
The lack of enzymes is a major contributing factor in the development of leukemia and for health problems ranging from the common cold to more serious diseases such as AIDS.

The Rockefeller Institute has done much research on digestive problems like allergies and they found that certain enzymes are able to liquefy pus for drainage and soften sticky mucus which plugs the bronchial tubes creating asthma.

The enzyme elastin is responsible for the elasticity of the arteries, unlocking the mystery of hardening of the arteries and Parkinson’s disease. There is evidence linking trouble with concentration to the enzymes dopeminea and ansoratonia which can cause crippling diseases affecting the nerves.

One of the most valuable needs for enzymes is to help process iron, which carries oxygen all over the body to be deposited in the billions of skin tissue and brain cells. Many people have brittle bones due to the lack of enzymes in cooked and denatured foods. Calcium cannot be properly utilized without enzymes. Protein is useless without enzymes to convert it into amino acids. The body cannot heal itself from infections or have healthy blood without enzymes.

Another reason I keep stressing the importance of enzymes is they are very necessary for the brain’s functions. The brain is deprived of alertness when food is not nourishing. Poor food takes energy away from the brain even while we’re sleeping. Many times people are troubled with sleep due to enzyme deficient denatured foods.
There is no way that we can guard against deficiencies without enzymes. When we realize how important it is to have a healthy body we will then understand the importance of staying away from food that is cooked or denatured in any way, and instead turn to Living Foods for nutrition.

Dr. Herbert Pollack, M.D. made great observations of how proper utilization of other nutrients cannot take place without vitamins being present in the tissues. We now know that without enzymes, vitamins and other elements cannot be utilized by the body.

Vitamins serve as co-enzymes, producing many reactions which promote digestion and other functions in the body. Vitamin A aids the respiratory system, the skin, and the glands. It is found in organic foods like greens and sweet potatoes. The B complex vitamins (B2, B6, and B12) have as many as eleven different functions including correcting eye and nervous disorders and swollen parts of the body. These vitamins, in conjunction with the enzymes, also give energy to the brain.

Vitamin B6, when working with B3 and enzymes, metabolizes protein and breaks the protein down into amino acids. These amino acids are very important substances needed to provide nutrition for the molecules. The best way to get B6 and B12 is from sprouts, grains and seeds. Nuts and corn also contain the B complex vitamins.
Many nutritionists base their criticism of vegetarianism on the so-called "low" dietary levels of the anti pernicious vitamin B12. They overlook the fact that this vitamin is heat sensitive and over 85% of its effectiveness can be lost under normal cooking conditions. Since no one eats raw meat, the nutritionists cannot make claim to animal protein as being a source of this vitamin.

Supplying the body with synthetic vitamins is not the way Nature planned for us to obtain vitamins. Vitamins cannot be separated from the life force of enzymes and perform properly inside the body. Without the spark of life supplied by enzymes, vitamins and other elements including minerals cannot be utilized by the body.
People who eat Living Foods can rest assured of getting the right quantity and quality of vitamins complete with the needed enzymes for proper functioning.

It’s no wonder that people have weight problems. Because cooked food destroys 100% of the enzymes, only a very small percentage of the food is assimilated into the body. If you lose one pound or gain one, it is because of enzymes. People who are either overweight or underweight are mostly suffering from a lack of enzymes. Once the body receives Living Foods it produces changes that work miraculously in overcoming weight problems.
When the body is given and abundance of enzymes through Living Foods, the body can stop exhausting its own supply of enzymes for the sole purpose of digestion of food. The body’s enzymes can now break down the excess fat, protein and clogged arteries and therefore have remarkable results for overweight people.

It is thrilling to see what enzymes can do and how they can bring about perfect physical and mental health to us. They are the real life-givers and the link to the source of life-giving energy, which we need for survival.
We need to turn back to Nature if we wish to improve conditions on our planet, especially when there are so many hazards that are destroying our enzyme force. It is urgent that we turn to life-giving enzyme rich foods that are packed with life sustaining energy to ensure survival.

Enzymes can be easily derived through Living Foods which are grown on healthy composted Mother Earth. They should be prepared through blending, sprouting, fermenting, and small amounts of juicing, but ABSOLUTELY NO COOKING!! Cooking destroys enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and the nourishment in food. Stop eating dead food and get back to health! Living Foods full of enzymes is the way to eat and maintain total and perfect health!!

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Why juice?

I have been making a fresh green juice every morning for years. Why?

You can literally drink cancer-fighting, skin-clearing, joint-soothing, energy-enhancing nutrients in every glass! And every glass is different. You can add the ingredients that you like best, and feel are right for you that day. Not only will this increase your stamina, but also your vitality and glow.

What are the benefits of juicing?

There are too many to count, but here is a list of the ones I have experienced. Green juice:

When we juice fruits and vegetables (always whole, raw, unprocessed foods), we make them easier for our bodies to digest. Juicing extracts the liquid nutrition, making them available for easy absorption into the body. All those nutrients get directly into your cells. Our bodies absorb the nutrients faster than the regular route of digestion, and without expending the energy required by digestion. This energy is then available for your body to use. This means increased energy!

Some raw vegetables can be difficult to digest, but this isn't always the case when you consume the juice from those same vegetables. If there is a vegetable that you *love*, but have a hard time digesting, try juicing it. There are amazing enzymes in some produce that we can't absorb through regular digestion that a juicer can release!

You probably already know that your body needs to be alkaline (non-acidic) for optimum performance. An alkaline body serves you best. When you are too acidic, you become ripe for the growth of bacteria, viruses, even cancer. but if you are alkaline, it is much harder for disease to take hold, and this is a good thing!

Your mouth is a perfect example. When your mouth is too acidic, you start to get cavities, have bad breath, and potentially develop periodontal disease. Not good. So, imagine the chaos each organ has in your body if it is out of pH balance. There is a delicate balance going on within our internal environment.

A more alkaline body is vital to living a healthy lifestyle. When parts of the body do not have the nutrients they need to maintain an alkaline state, they steal those nutrients from other parts of the body. Naturally, this can cause even more issues that the body must handle - a vicious cycle!

You can support your body and its need to be in a healthy pH range simply by starting to juice, and by replacing some of your current acidic food and drink choices with better plant-based choices in your diet. Green juices promote an alkaline state in your body. In fact, the more green juice you drink, the faster you will see marked differences in your health. These include clearer skin, better digestion, higher metabolism and fewer illnesses. But it's the differences you CAN'T see that would amaze you: stronger immune system, better bone health, lower inflammation response everywhere (joints, connective tissue, allergies, etc.), better digestion and many more.

Juicing promotes youthfulness! I'm not going to claim that green juice will "make you young," but I know first hand that it can make you feel and look younger.

I have never felt so vibrant and full of energy as I do now!

Take a look at the lifestyle Jack LaLanne and his wife led. Also, take a peek at Kris Carr and her wonderful journey. There are many, many, many more examples!

There is a very good reason why juicing is a key component of my own personal anti-aging regimen. It works!

How many of us struggle with weight loss? I used to. Juicing is a delicious way to help you drop the extra pounds.

Juicing stimulates fat burning, plus it helps us achieve weight loss by reducing cravings, jump starting our metabolism, and flushing toxins. Juicing helps curb your appetite, as long as you don't add too many fruits. A lot of fruit juice can cause your blood sugar to spike, which can actually make you feel hungrier.

Stick with vegetables, and you will enjoy a balanced blood sugar and less hunger.

Juicing promotes efficient elimination!

My favorite topic: elimination. Not everyone wants to talk about this, but it is a natural, regular function that every animal on earth does.

I know from personal experience the pain and awful feeling of being bloated and "plugged up". It is NOT a good feeling.

A plant-based diet with living foods totally eliminated that problem for me! It will for you too, especially if you make juicing a part of your daily routine, along with plant-based diet choices.

Keep in mind that helping your body to clean out the trash is what it is all about. What we consume is very important, but elimination through our skin, sweat, urine and excrement is absolutely crucial to our existence. What we eliminate and what we hold on to have a direct correlation to the quality of our health! Even when we take good stuff in, we have to get the toxins OUT of our bodies. DAILY.

Elimination. Embrace it.

NOTE: I recommend a weekly enema regimen to help cleanse your colon regularly, at least a 4 ounce mini-enema. A colonic given by a professional colon hydrotherapist is a great idea a few times a year, like with the change of seasons.

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Inflammation

I am often asked how to reduce inflammation. Inflammation is just one sign that you are toxic, nutrient deficient, and in need of a good cleanse! It is also an indication that your immune system isn't doing its job.

If you have inflammation, the first thing you need to do is to switch to a living foods diet, and call your colon hydrotherapist. I will list some other things you can change in your life below, however, these should be used IN ADDITION TO a eating plant-based diet and getting regular colonics!

Omega-3 fatty acids are major anti-inflammatories. The three chief omega 3s that we get from our food are alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). EPA and DHA are found in leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, walnuts and spirulina. In addition, one teaspoon of flax oil per day seems to supply enough ALA for conversion to daily therapeutic amounts of EPA and DHA. Hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds and sesame seeds are also good souces of ALA. Brazil nuts, wheat germ and wheat germ oil also contain significant amounts.

Omega-6 fatty acids are also excellent anti-inflammatories. The major omega 6 is linoleic acid, which is converted by the body into gamma linolenic acid (GLA). This is a natural defense against such diseases as cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, diabetic neuropathy and PMS.

Although most Americans consume a disproportionate amount of omega 6, it may not be converted to GLA because of metabolic problems associated with diabetes, alcohol consumption, trans fatty acids in processed foods, smoking, stress or illness.

Only nature functions so perfectly as to offer the right balance of omega 6 and omega 3 fatty acids in foods such as: flax seeds, hemp seeds, sunflower seeds and grape seeds. Food sources of omega 6 fatty acids include pistachios, olive oil, chestnut oil and olives.

There is a good article on all the omegas here: http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/articles/omega-3-vegetarians-vegans.php

Curcumin is the active ingredient of the Indian spice turmeric. Over the last few decades, hundreds of small scale studies have proven scientifically what Indian people have known for centuries: that curcumin has the ability to halt or prevent certain types of cancer, stop inflammation, improve cardiovascular health, prevent cataracts and kill or inhibit the toxic effects of certain microbes, including fungi and dangerous parasites.

Bromelain is a plant derived proteolytic enzyme. It is extracted from the flesh and stem of the pineapple plant. It is most notable for its effectiveness in the reduction of inflammation and the decreasing of swelling.

Green tea. There is a recent report that the antioxidant polyphenols in green tea had anti-inflammatory properties.

Ginger contains over 500 different compounds, many of which have anti-inflammatory properties.

A healthy inflammatory system relies on pure water, fresh air, regular exercise and a nutrient rich diet. Nutrient rich = whole foods, plant based.

Improving your diet is the MOST important lifestyle change you can make to benefit your inflammatory system. Nearly all foods have some sort of an effect on the inflammatory system - they either speed it up or slow it down. Foods can be classified as either inflammatory or anti-inflammatory. Fats are the key to controlling inflammation (unheated, non-refined fats). The goal should be to eat a good balance of anti-inflammatory fats, while severely limiting the consumption of inflammatory fats. Avoid processed foods, artificial sweeteners, sugar, saturated fats and allergens.

Exercise is another key element to maintaining a healthy inflammatory system. Everyone is different, and opinions vary, but a good goal is 30 minutes of light to moderate exercise a day. Strenuous exercise is NOT recommended, as it can actually suppress the immune system, acting as a trigger for auto-immune disease. Light exercise, however, reduces stress, stimulates the appetite and reduces inflammation.

Get enough sleep! Set a goal for 8 to 9 hours of restful sleep each night. When we sleep, the immune system has time to calm down. If we don't allow our bodies the time for this to occur, the secretion of chemicals involved in the inflammation process will continue building up.

Your immune system (and your inflammatory system) is also dependent upon adequate exposure to natural light. Several major studies show that a deficiency of Vitamin D associated with decreased exposure to sunlight is linked to the development of several different auto-immune disorders, including MS and auto-immune thyroid disorders.

Avoiding chemical toxins is another important factor. Avoid chemical cleaning agents, recreational drugs, cigarette smoke, industrial toxins (many of which are already in your kitchen and laundry room), air pollution and unnecessary vaccines and antibiotics, to allow your immune system to heal.

Maintaining a healthy weight is another important consideration when it comes to maintaining a healthy inflammatory system. It is believed that fat cells secrete inflammatory factors, which bring on the inflammatory response. The result of this is that obesity is characterized by a state of chronic, low grade inflammation.

There is some research into antioxidants and their effect on inflammation. The body manufactures its own antioxidants. These reduce the harmful effects of free radicals and diminish the actions of inflammatory signals.

The best sources of antioxidants are vegetables and fruits. The more colorful you natural foods, the better - yellow, orange, green, red, brown and blue-purple plant foods supply a variety of antioxidants, and the more brightly colored, the richer the food is in antioxidants.

Rich sources of antioxidants include blueberries, mexican red beans and prunes. I would add living foods and fermented foods to that list.

What's the bottom line? A plant based diet, plenty of water, fresh air, sunshine, and exercise. This will help you get the toxins out, and let your immune and inflammatory system function properly.

If you need a plan to get the inflammation out of your life, please contact me.

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From "12 Steps To Raw Foods"

These are some excerpts from Victoria Boutenko's book "12 Steps To Raw Foods"

"When people talk about raw food, they usually talk about enzymes. Enzymes are energy. Enzymes are life. We cannot see enzymes with our naked eye, but we can see the life and energy that is the result of enzymes. For example, if I take two almonds, one raw and one roasted, and plant them in soil, within three weeks the roasted almond will have disintegrated into the soil. The raw almond will remain where I planted it. In spring the snow melts on the mountain and flows down to water the soil, inhibitors will be unlocked in the almond and it will have the potential to give birth to a beautiful big almond tree, which will give birth to thousands more beautiful almonds. As this illustration shows, the difference between the roasted almond and the raw almond is life and death. One has enzymes and one does not. One carries within the potential of life, the other has had life cooked out. If I were to take two almonds (one raw and one roasted) to a scientists and ask for an analysis of both almonds, the scientists will see no nutritional difference between the two almonds. Both almonds have the same amount of calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc and copper as if they are absolutely equivalent nutritionally. However, as the example shows, one carries life in enzymes while the other does not.

"In order to understand how enzymes work, let us fantasize a story. On a beautiful June day you are walking through an apple orchard. You look for apples, but they are still green and hiding in the leaves. You cannot see them easily and they don't really smell. You return to the orchard in July. The apples are big and red and they smell great. The apples seem to be calling to you, "See me, smell me, eat me." You realize that to an apple, being eaten by an animal or a human being means the continuation of life. You reach out and pick a large red apple. You take a bite. The apple is filled with live enzymes. As you enjoy the flavor and texture of the apple, the enzymes (likened to little handy-men with suitcases full of magic healing tools) work on your body. As you walk along, the enzymes work through your body as a healing team, repairing what needs attention. You feel good and full of energy because the apple carries the enzymes within it to digest itself. Your body does not have to put out extra effort to digest the apple. Later the apple leaves your body in the form of fertilizer and continues to live. You have participated in the circle of life. Everything is circular. It is a
universal law."

"The following weekend you return to the orchard and pick a basket of apples. You take the apples home to make baked apples with caramel and cinnamon, just like your grandmother used to make. You create your dish and put it into the oven to cook. The baked apple looks pretty and smells delicious. It looks as nutritious as that apple you picked and ate raw last weekend. But it is not. This apple has been cooked and the enzymes are destroyed.

You bite into the sweet baked apple; caramel and cinnamon stimulate your taste buds creating a pleasant sensation. You finish your serving and then go to lie down. You are feeling a little sluggish and tired. Inside your body your own enzymes have to leave their work, maybe cleansing
the liver, protecting you from tumors and evacuation toxins here and there, to come digest the cooked apple that does not have any enzymes of its own. When this apple finally leaves your body, into the toilet, it is filled with your own enzymes. These enzymes are gone forever. Cooked food does not contain live enzymes and so takes enzymes from your body to digest the food. These enzymes then leave your body, leaving you with fewer enzymes than you start with. Dr. Edward Howell, a leading nutritionist, suggested that the average American at the age of 40 has only 30% of their enzymes left. We can still walk, talk and think at this point, but when we have only 30% of our enzymes left, plus they have to give about 75% of their energy to detoxify the body, we become less sensitive to other people, and to ourselves. We may survive physically but not spiritually.

"The good news is that even if we have only 30% of our enzymes left, we still can live our portion of life, if we go on a raw diet and let the body purify
itself.

"There is a lot of misunderstanding and confusion in the field of enzymes. In fact many licensed nutritionists don't understand the importance of enzymes in our food. If you want to have a proper diet, gaining complete clarity about enzymes is crucial. For example, let's look at the difference between raw fat and cooked fat. Why does fat exist? We all need fat to lubricate our eyes so we can see, to lubricate our skin so it is soft and to lubricate our hair. We need fat to lubricate our joints, so whenever we move our joints we don't squeak like an old garage door. We can't get live fat from pasteurized milk, butter, sour cream or roasted nuts because it's all cooked! We could be very obese but lack real fat. Our bodies are desperate for raw life fat. The best sources of live fat are avocado, young coconut, durian, olives, nuts, seeds and cold pressed extra virgin olive oil.

"I remember when I was very obese. I was 120 pounds more than I am now. During that time I started to crave avocados. I was able to eat eight avocados a day. Before that, to me, they tasted like soap. When I was eating avocados, I started to lose weight faster. This is because of the enzyme in the fat of avocados, lipase, was able to penetrate my saturated fat deposits, break them into saller pieces, and take them out of my body. Isn't that amazing?

"Another example is calcium. When we lack calcium, we are advised by advertising to drink pasteurized milk. You've all seen the ads that ask "Got Milk"?
I would argue that when we need calcium, the more appropriate question is
to ask "Got wheat grass?" or "Got sesame seed milk?" Cow's milk is not intended for human consumption; it does have calcium, but it also contains very
concentrated protein and produces excessive mucus. Secondly, pasteurized
milk has been heated until the enzyme activity has stopped. The enzymes are
destroyed; there is no life. The body only absorbs empty lifeless shells of calcium
molecules.

"Wheat grass is where a cow gets her calcium and is easily digested by the human body because the molecule of chlorophyll and the molecule of human blood are almost identical. Sesame seeds are the richest in calcium among all other seeds and nuts. Sesame milk is delicious and can easily replace cow's milk.

"As I said earlier, enzymes are life and energy. We are human beings and we are spiritual beings. We need energy so we move and work and also love, share, communicate and be sensitive to each other. Every time we eat cooked food we lose enzymes. In our cooked food filled bodies, our enzymes are doing hard work. Because cooked food does not have enzymes, our body cannot use it. Therefore, the body treats cooked food as a toxin and is only concerned with getting rid of it."

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Deadly Food Addictions, by Brenda Cobb

Are you addicted to food? I am! That’s right. Just as addicted as an alcoholic is to alcohol, I’m addicted to food. That’s what got me into trouble with my health…..bad diet, bad lifestyle! I turned to food for every reason imaginable, because I was happy, sad, lonely, depressed, frustrated, stressed, or bored. Whatever the reason, I had to eat, and I did!! Food called my name. If potato chips were in the house I had to eat them! Food gets on my mind and I can’t get it off. I’ve been obsessed with everything from chocolate candy to french fries. Food surrounds every activity that I do. Sound familiar?

Many of us including myself have become addicted to certain foods. When I read David Wolfe’s "Sunfood Diet Success System" I found out that with most people there are usually 5 or 6 foods that they are actually addicted to and have trouble releasing. These foods usually include: bread, baked potatoes, coffee, potato chips, corn chips, tofu, chocolate candy, fish, and/or cigarettes (not a true food but certainly an oral gratification) and even carrot juice. Most of these foods come from hybridized plants. I never thought about any of this stuff before I got cancer. Then I began to pay attention to food and its role in disease and in healing.

I learned about hybrid foods from Wolfe’s book where he brought to my attention that hybrid foods are "missing vital electrics." This is what Wolfe has to say about hybrids. "They are unnaturally high in sugar and off in the mineral ratios. Hybrid foods are devoid of proper mineral balance that all wild foods contain. So when we eat a lot of hybrid fruit, that leads to mineral deficiencies in our bodies. Not only are hybrid fruits and sweet, starchy vegetables unbalanced in minerals, it is eating too much of hybrid sweet fruit and sweet and starchy vegetables that causes the body to bring heavy minerals from the bones into the blood to buffer the hybrid sugar. This hybrid sugar is not completely recognized by the liver and pancreas. The minerals and sugar are spilled off into the urine. Hybrid sweet fruit and sweet starchy vegetables can over stimulate you and cause you to lose minerals."

So, what are hybrid foods? Hybrid foods are foods which will not grow in Nature. They are foods which must be nurtured and protected by humans or else they will be overcome by birds, insects, worms, fungi, and bacteria.

Some common hybrid fruits are: seedless apples, bananas, several date varieties like medjools, kiwis, seedless pineapples, seedless citrus fruit, seedless grapes, seedless persimmons, seedless watermelons. Common hybrid vegetables include: beets, carrots, corn, and potatoes. Common hybrid nuts and seeds include: cashews, oats, rice, and wheat. Brown, white, and "wild" rice are hybrids. Commercial "soft" wheat is a hybrid. Alfalfa sprouts and most commercially available legumes are hybrids.

Hybrid foods are attacked by different forms of fungi and are much more susceptible to early decay. Hybrid foods can feed fungal conditions like candida whereas non-hybrid or wild fruit will not lead to such a condition.

Hybrid foods are everywhere so if you eat you’ve got to eat some hybrids. If you want to make eating hybrids work for you David Wolfe recommends that you eat small amounts of the fruits and vegetables. Mix bananas with fat (avocados, nuts, olives) and it will lessen the hybrid effect on the system. If you eat more green-leafed vegetables and avocados, nuts, or olives with hybrid sweet fruits or vegetables it will decrease their effect on the blood sugar and increase the utility of elements in the food. Hybrid grains, and legumes should be soaked and sprouted, and absolutely never cooked. As long as they are raw, the body can draw nutrients from them and can deal with them.

Eat organic locally grown produce as much as possible. Eat food that is in season. Identify the hybridized foods (raw and cooked) in your diet. Make a decision to replace these foods with more natural foods as soon, and as often, as possible. See and feel the difference that eating the right foods can make in your life. I had no idea how bad food was making me feel until I cleaned up my act and started eating raw and living foods. For the first time I can remember feeling really good. Instead of wanting to take a nap after eating I felt energized. The pain and stiffness in my joints disappeared. My depression went away. My health returned.

It’s not easy to change a lifetime of bad eating habits, but it’s the most important thing that you can do to really improve your health. It’s not only how you prepare your foods, it’s making the right selections of foods to prepare, and then eating those foods in the right combinations.

Addictions can be very difficult to break, but it can be done. First you have to want to make the changes. For me it took a life threatening situation (cancer) to get my attention and make me want to make changes in my diet. For some people it can be extra weight that needs to come off, for others it could be a very serious disease that wakes them up. Next you want to pinpoint what foods you are addicted to and when you eat these foods. Begin to replace your "bad foods" with foods that are good for you. Feel the difference when you eat fresh, organic, raw and living foods. The more you eat this way and the cleaner your body becomes, the less you will crave the old "bad food". The longer you eat healthy, the easier it becomes.

Detoxing the body is important if you want to give up food addictions. As long as there is residue of the bad foods in your body, you will continue to crave those foods. So, don’t wait to change your ways. Think about your life and your health. Is a moment of gratification on your lips and in your mouth worth a lifetime of disease, pain, and suffering. Every disease comes from toxicity and deficiency in the body, and all toxicity and deficiency is directly related to every bite you put into your mouth. Everything you eat effects your overall health. Make a conscious decision to change your bad habits and to eat right and heal! Get the information and support you need to help you make those changes, and then Just Do It!!

Brenda Cobb was the Director of the Living Foods Institute.
You can reach LFI by calling 404-524-4488 or if you live outside the Atlanta area, call toll free: 1-800-844-9876.
Contact the Living Foods Institute today to learn more about healing your body from the inside out.

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From Cancer to Living Foods

by Brenda Cobb

On February 13, 1999, my life changed forever. I went to the doctor for a check-up and was shocked to find that not only did I weigh 190 pounds, but that I had a lump in my breast about the size of a quarter and a large cervical tumor. My mother and her sisters had cervical and breast cancers. They chose the mainstream medical route which included surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. My doctor recommended immediate surgery and that I go to another doctor for a second opinion, hospital tests, and blood work.

The first thing I did when I left the doctor’s office was go to the health food store and ask for books and information on curing cancer without surgery and drugs. They recommended How I Cured Cancer Naturally by Edie Mae. That little book confirmed that surgery and drugs were not for me. When I read Edie Mae’s story of healing herself through the use of living foods, I knew immediately that this was the way I wanted to go.

Then came time for my next doctor’s appointment. I spent two entire days at the hospital and the doctor’s office. After getting all the tests back their consensus was that I definitely must have surgery. They set up a time for my surgery and talked with me about signing the consent forms. By this time my head was spinning. The doctors made me think I had no time to think it over, that I had to act fast. They were alarmed at what they saw, especially considering my family history, and they did their best to alarm me too.

I let the doctor schedule the surgery, but when it came time to sign the consent forms I changed my mind. I decided not to have the surgery, but rather to heal my body the natural way with a healthy lifestyle. They were not supportive of my choice and put pressure on me to go through with the surgery, but I had made up my mind and I stuck to my decision.

I began drinking wheatgrass and lots of fresh juices everyday. I ate a lot of organic raw vegetables. From the middle of February until the middle of May I lost twenty pounds, my energy increased, my bleeding stopped (I had been bleeding heavily every day with the cervical tumor), and my breast tumor began to shrink.

Through reading, I learned that in addition to eating the right foods, it was also important to clean out my colon of toxic waste by receiving professional colonics and doing personal enemas and wheatgrass implants at home. I booked an appointment for my first colonic. I was uncomfortable just thinking about it because I didn’t know what to expect, but the whole experience was very dignified, and I was amazed at all of the old impacted fecal waste that came out of my body.

Detoxing was rough! Every toxin and poison in my body began to release and I had the "headache from hell" for two full days. I also experienced nausea, exhaustion, sleeplessness, depression, anxiety, aches, pains, facial breakouts, dry, itchy red patches all over my thighs, hips, and butt, and I felt like I had the flu. It was probably the most miserable I had ever been. Besides feeling awful, I had all these emotions surfacing to deal with. I was angry for allowing myself to get in this bad shape. I didn’t like the living foods and I wondered how I would be able to do without Thai food, french fries, pizza, chocolate, potato chips, and all those other foods I had become so attached to. How would I ever go to a family holiday gathering again and be able to eat anything there since everything would be cooked? I resented that all this had happened to me. I cried, then I sobbed, then I cried some more. I felt real sorry for myself and then I kicked myself in the butt. I released old feelings that I had suppressed for years. Things came up for me that I didn’t even realize had been bothering me. I was changing inside and out, but through all these miserable feelings I stuck with the program.

In two weeks I had lost 23 additional pounds. I was feeling better than I had felt in years because I had released so many of the toxins, but I knew I still had a long way to go.

I came home a totally different woman. I celebrated my fiftieth birthday a couple of days after I returned, and realized that all my goals and dreams for the future had changed. All I could think about was opening a Living Foods Center in Atlanta so I could share this incredible healing information with others

I was completely overwhelmed at the thought of having to learn to prepare foods without cooking. There were so many new things to learn and do. How would I ever learn everything I needed to know? I struggled with making the recipes. I craved cooked food and I cheated by going to a Thai restaurant. I worked everyday to continue to do the things that I knew instinctively would help me, and then something miraculous occurred.

As my body became cleaner, free of all the toxic waste that had built up over fifty years, and as I became less deficient by eating enzyme rich, living foods, my tastes began to change. Foods that I once loathed now tasted good. I even began to crave it! I lost all my desire for sugar— no more chocolate bars, cakes, pies, or cookies. I didn’t even like the smell of sweets anymore. I noticed that tofu, which I had once loved as my favorite meat substitute, made me tired and bloated and gave me gas. Eating living foods made me feel lighter, more energetic, focused, and calm. Things that had once bothered me now just rolled off my back. Through self-examination I couldn’t detect any tumors in my breast or on my cervix. My life had been transformed. I had been lifted up mentally and spiritually by this wonderful new lifestyle.

My mission in life became very clear: I had to open a Living Foods Center in Atlanta and share this incredible knowledge with others so they could heal themselves too, the natural way. I told my son, Richard, about my dream, and he agreed to help me. Together we opened The Temple Of Health And Beauty. It is so rewarding to see people who come into the center sick and begin to heal their bodies and their minds. I know it’s radical and different than anything we’ve ever been taught. It isn’t easy to give up the foods that we have become addicted to. But, I believe that without these changes many of us will continue to get sicker and sicker, and live less than a full and happy life because of health problems that have been brought on by a diet of mostly cooked, dead food.

The good news is that we can change that by changing the way we think, what we do, and what we eat. Nature intended that we get 100% of our nourishment from whole, live fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains. This is not a new age diet. This is the original diet that we were intended to thrive on. Now is the time to get back to our roots, to embrace a way of living that promotes total and perfect health. As we heal ourselves, one person at a time, we will then heal our planet.

Everyday I thank God for opening up the door to Living Foods for me. I have a whole life ahead of me, a life that I will spend teaching others about this wonderful, natural, healing lifestyle.

Brenda Cobb was the Director of the Living Foods Institute.
1700 Commerce Drive, Suite 100 Atlanta, GA 30318
You can reach her by calling 404-524-4488 or if you live outside the Atlanta area, call toll free: 1-800-844-9876.
Contact the Living Foods Institute today to learn more about healing your body from the inside out.