I’m not here to persuade or argue with you. I’m here to help you to make the choice that is best for you. I offer experience and knowledge. I offer a perspective.

You must choose. Whatever you are doing right now with respect to your health is a choice. In other words, you have already chosen. And you get to choose again and again. And again.

Every decision is a choice.

In response to a reader, I wrote Lose Weight with Raw Foods. While I was addressing a specific reader question, this article is far more than just about weight loss. It presents an approach for making choices that supports you in adding more raw foods to your daily meals, which will result in more normal weight.

In this article, I suggest two approaches to healthier eating: (1) fewer refined foods and (2) more raw foods. I like to keep it simple. Sometimes people get overwhelmed with the idea of eating raw foods, thinking it must be a total commitment in order to be effective. Many raw foodists promote this idea, often because they themselves have chosen a 100% raw food diet.

Truly, it does not need to be a 100% commitment to be effective. In fact, that is extremely difficult for a variety of reasons. One slip and you’ve failed. That’s no fun! Check out Eating Raw: Must it be 100%? for encouragement to make a choice to eat MORE raw foods. Such a choice moves you in the direction of greater health.

You might make the initial choice to eat more raw foods for any number of rational reasons. When you have the direct experience of eating raw foods for a while, you continue to choose, but usually for different reasons than the ones that prompted the journey.

Most individuals turn to raw foods initially because of a health challenge, especially a health condition that has not been corrected with popular, traditional methods. Information has become more readily available thanks to the Internet (Thank you, Internet!). Not everything you read on the internet is accurate, but with a discerning eye you can find what you need.

Some people who have been eating primarily processed foods get discouraged when they consume raw foods, especially if they make a dramatic shift. Certainly it’s possible that Eating Raw Food Can Activate Detoxification, but the process can be moderated (see article). If you have such a reaction, it is proof that your body is toxic and is benefiting from the cleanse.

After your body is cleansed, you will feel lighter, more energetic, and more conscious. You will have greater mental clarity and enjoy your work and play more. You will be more creative, motivated, and relaxed. Feeling lighter will also translate to the scale if your current weight is not ideal.

Please don’t take my word for it. It’s your choice.

Through my days of being a vegetarian and a vegan, dark leafy vegetables were part of many meals. Occasionally, they were predominant as the meal. More often, I thought of them as something to add to a meal rather than be the meal. Often they were cooked.

Greens and Beyond

Sometimes leafy vegetables are so dark they are beyond green — red or purple. The color is an indication of the mineral content.

Specifically, I am referring to such foods as arugula, collard greens, dandelion greens, kale, mesclun, mustard greens, romaine lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, watercress. They are readily accessible superfoods — that is, nutrient-dense, unprocessed plant foods.

Cravings

I’ve had various food cravings over the years, some I would classify as healthy, others as unhealthy. I think that most people consider that a "craving" is associated with an unhealthy food. The dictionary defines it as "an intense, urgent, or abnormal desire or longing."

Many years ago, I studied Chinese herbs with Ron Teeguarden in his Santa Monica shop. In a conversation with him just before a class, he talked about eating greens, mentioning his "craving" for them.

Envy overtook me. My first instinct, which I believe I also voiced, was "I wish I had a craving like that!"

I haven’t made any in-depth study of cravings, but I do know that eating the thing I have a tendency to crave makes me crave it more intensely the next day. Also, if I keep eating that food regularly and then stop, the craving is usually quite intense and uncomfortable.

Eating More Greens

I decided to apply my knowledge and experience to eating greens. I began to eat them more regularly and at more meals and only raw — and I must admit, not always enjoying them. Sometimes I disguised the taste, making them either savory or sweet.

I added them to each meal, although I know that I got the most nutrients from them after putting them into a blender in raw soups and smoothies. I like to blend the greens well, but short of being fully liquified. I prefer it when my smoothie has something to chew, otherwise I just drink it. With bits of leaves, I am reminded to chew, which is very important for digestion.

Craving Greens Now

And then one day it happened! I began to crave dark green leafy vegetables. It was subtle at first, and now it’s strong enough to keep me eating my greens several times each day and enjoying them.

In fact, as I write this and think about them, I am salivating. Pardon me. I’m going to go fix myself a green smoothie with kale, banana, and water.

The short best answer is: It depends.

Expanding on that answer a little : Yes, it’s likely, but everyone is different. Besides the differences in individuals, there are many other variables: what you were eating before, how quickly you make the transition, what foods are in your raw diet, what you’re doing to moderate the detoxification symptoms.

Common Detox Symptoms and How to Think About Them

Not everyone has all or any of these symptoms. Here are some, just to give you an idea: (1) headaches, (2) grogginess, (3) fatigue and/or sleepiness, (4) sleep problems, (5) cravings for the familiar foods, (6) releasing from the releasing organs, such as runny nose, coughing, shift in bowel function, (7) increase in aches and pains, especially old injuries or conditions, (8) stress or irritability, (9) and others.

I name these to give you a broad perspective, and to more easily say this … when you notice symptoms such as this, think of them as part of the "healing" and not as a "sickness."

If think of yourself as sick, you might be inclined to reach for some over-the-counter remedy to lessen the symptoms, or stop the raw food eating. The symptoms are uncomfortable, for sure, but there are healthier ways to deal with them, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

If you think of yourself as now providing the nutrients to clear your system of toxins, you are well on your way to optimal health. With a perspective such as this, you are more like to reach for truly healthy ways to moderate the symptoms and stick to the raw food eating.

Transition May be the Key for You

I speak about transitioning gradually in Eating Raw: Must it be 100%? This one strategy alone can make a difference for many people. As you add more organic, fresh, uncooked food to every meal, you will likely have fewer detoxifying symptoms.

The transition can continue for many months until you reach a high percentage of raw, living foods, maybe even to 100%. Not many people achieve that, as it’s not easy socially. But you can still experience enormous health benefits at a lower percentage, and you are likely to have fewer or less intense detox symptoms if you take your time.

Your Pre-Raw Food Eating and Purpose for Eating Raw

Some people decide to adopt a raw food or mostly raw food eating plan for general well being; others for specific health conditions, especially losing weight. A raw food diet plan is a way to release unwanted pounds. The excess pounds are filled with toxins. When you get rid of toxins and waste from the body, you lose weight.

I write more about Losing Weight with Raw Foods, in answer to another reader’s question.

Many other conditions — related to excess weight or not — occur because of the body’s toxicity level. So if your purpose is to release the toxins or to lessen the negative impact of the specific condition, you must be prepared for some toxic release.

When you understand that you are purifying your body, the discomfort can be easier to endure. You might even be able to say (happily!), oh, goody, it’s working!

You want to feel better on the inside and look better on the outside. A raw food eating style can do that for you, over time.

Moderating the Discomfort of Detox

• Simplify Your Meals. For example, combine similar or compatible foods at one meal.
• Eat More Greens. Greens — especially when broken down in a high-speed blender — carry off the toxins more quickly and efficiently.
• Minimize Fruit. Fruit is an acceptable food for a raw foodist; however, by its nature, it’s a cleansing food. If you’re detoxifying too fast, reducing fruit may slow it down.
• Do Not Combine Fruit with Other Foods. Certain food combinations can be distressful to the digestive system, and be counter productive to the detoxification you want. However, apples, cucumbers, and lemons usually combine well with non-fruit foods.
• Drink Lots of Good Water. When you’re on a 100% raw food eating plan, you may find you need less water (because the foods contain water). However, if you’re still consuming or detoxifying from processed foods, drink plenty of water. The prevailing formula is: take your body weight in pounds, divide by 2, and drink that many ounces.
• Eat Small Meals. Eating very small meals is much easier on your system. Many raw foodists eat 5 smaller meals rather than 3 larger ones.
• Balance Rest and Exercise. Exercise is important, and so is rest. That’s true anytime, but especially when you’re detoxifying. Meditation is also powerful.

A Nice Blended Raw Meal

Here’s a wonderful raw meal you can prepare quickly to reduce the detoxifying symptoms. In any blender, add some water (1/2 cup – 2 cups depending on desired liquidity) and then add:

1 head dark red and green lettuce
5- 10 leaves of dark leafy green vegetables (examples include kale, spinach, collards, dandelion greens)
1-2 celery stalks
1 whole lemon, juiced with at least some of the rind
2 apples, cored (optional)

Blend until it is as smooth as possible and enjoy this healthy concoction!

(P.S. Thanks, Ray, for your question.)

Transition Gradually

For someone new to exploring a raw food lifestyle, just “adding more raw foods” is a great strategy. Later you can decide percentage, but “more” will make a difference in your life, especially if you add “more” on a regular basis.

And speaking of more … the more nutrients you consume, the less food you need. Raw organic plant foods have more nutrients than cooked foods.

It is not necessary to eat 100% raw to benefit from raw foods. Often a little shift will be easier to maintain. For example, if you are eating cooked jams/jelly with sugar, change to whole berries without any added sweetener. If you use sugar in your coffee or tea, substitute stevia.

Organically grown plant foods taste better than those treated with pesticides, so avoid conventionally grown fruits and vegetables. Instead of regular packaged crackers, look for raw, organic flax seed crackers. Simple adjustments like these are easier to make than strict rules that make you feel like a failure when you can’t or don’t follow the rules.

Drink the best water available to you and you will have less of a craving for bottled juices or soda or milk. Want a little flavoring in your water? Add some fresh lemon or cayenne pepper or cinnamon. If you want a sweet drink, select some of your favorite fruits, prepare for eating, put in blender with some water, blend and enjoy.

Honor Your Preferences

Your own habits and preferences are important. If you like the idea of a raw food eating style, honor your preferences, take your time, and transition slowly.

As you are discovering the proper percentage for you, ask yourself this question repeatedly: how does this taste to me? As you regularly have more raw foods in your meals, your tastes will change. Likely you will find that raw foods become more delicious and cooked foods become less delicious. Or perhaps, you will find that everything you choose is tasty and perfect for you.

Remember: if after one bite the food does not taste good, stop eating! If it tastes good at first and you continue to eat and it begins to not taste good, stop eating! Let your feelings and taste guide you.

Meal times are often social times for most people. You may find that by deciding to eat raw foods at home and cooked foods when you are with friends or on a business trip that you find the right balance for you.

Find Your Way

Experiment. Read. Ask questions. Find your own way. Be gentle with yourself. Enjoy the process. Keep a positive attitude. When you decide that your own well being is the priority, you will find the right balance or percentage.

What is the best percentage of raw for you? The one you can maintain!

Aloe Vera is widely known as a healing substance, or the medicine plant. My family has grown it for many years, on a window sill in our pre-California days, and now outside.

Aloe Vera is part of the lily family rather than a cactus, although nursery salespeople usually just refer to it as a succulent. Aloe is a very large species of plants, and not all Aloe are Aloe Vera.

It is raw healing at its best, internally and topically.

The Aloe Plant and Leaves

About a year ago, I became curious about the large Aloe Vera leaves from SunFood.com. I initially ordered them because I didn’t like the butchered look of my Aloe plants in my yard. For the occasional cut or burn, a severed Aloe leaf was acceptable; multiple cut leaves required for greater consumption create a truly unaesthetic look.

I had quite a visceral reaction when I opened the first package of these large leaves. "Wow, they are alive!" I don’t know how else to describe my reaction. I almost expected them to wiggle off the paper. (They didn’t.)

The plants these leaves come from are much larger than the typical household or backyard plant. The grower breaks or cuts off the whole leaf from the base of the plant rather than cutting into the leaf.

Eating the Fresh, Raw Aloe

Regularly, we use a slice of a leaf — gel only — in our smoothies, raw soups, salad dressings, and assorted savory and sweet dishes.  Aloe is a nice semi-liquid with a slightly tart taste. Sometimes it seems bitter; other times it seems sour.

Aloe is great in a pesto. I fillet a chunk, put it in a small glass container with some Celtic sea salt while I prepare all the other ingredients. The Celtic sea salt helps to "liquefy" or "activate" the aloe.    

Once I tried putting Aloe through the juicer for a green drink. That was not very satisfactory because of its gelatinous texture. However, the "salt trick" works well, so that I add the liquefied Aloe to the prepared green drink. The blender loves Aloe Vera.

Fresh, raw Aloe Vera supports the immune system, digestion, and liver. It is rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. It seems to enhance the nutrients when combined with other superfoods, as well.

Using Now and Freezing Aloe Vera for Later Use

When we purchase the large leaves, we refrigerate all but one leaf. We use one at a time by slicing a chunk and filleting it as we need it. We either eat it fresh or freeze it within two days, three at the most. Often we use 2-4 chunks fresh and freeze one chunk, as that is usually the proper ratio to use the whole leaf in two days.

When freezing it, we cut it in serving-size pieces and freeze each piece in a small plastic bag or wrap. Once frozen, we place all the pieces in a larger freezer bag for easy grabbing.

Freezing Aloe Vera breaks down the fibers somewhat so that it blends even better in combinations. I think it’s also a little sweeter. Likely, the freezing reduces nutritional value somewhat.

When we’ve consumed the fresh supply, we start using the frozen bits.

If we have lots of company or extraordinary needs for the Aloe Vera, we skip the freezing for that leaf. Somehow, it all works more easily than it sounds.

Topical Applications for Fresh, Raw Aloe

To complete and go beyond the culinary experience, we end with the best skin treatment ever. We rub the inside of the green outer part on our skin and hair.

Several years ago, I acquired a wicked bruise and found that the Aloe Vera greatly reduced the discoloration and accelerated the healing. For that, I used — and learned for the first time — the Celtic sea salt trick. Using Celtic salt on Aloe Vera and applying both to a bruise were suggestions from my Latina housekeeper whose father used to grow Aloe Vera to mend and repair his active children.

Other Thoughts and Tips

Most of the bottled Aloe Vera products are likely to be processed in some way to stabilize and standardize the Aloe Vera gel. Read labels carefully so that you are confident of the contents. I’ve never seen fresh Aloe Vera in airports or hotels, so I have to find alternatives from time to time.

If you work with the larger leaves and make a cut without finishing the whole leaf, place a little piece of paper towel on the cut. This serves the same purpose as when a man cuts himself shaving and puts a piece of tissue on the cut.

After my experiences with the large Aloe Vera leaves, we now separate the outer leafs of our own plants and use the whole, smaller leaf right away. The plant loves this approach because it’s sustainable gardening. And no more butchered Aloe Vera plants!

There are no poisonous aspects to warn you about for the grand Aloe Vera medicine. This sturdy plant comes in many varieties and shapes and sizes. Remember, if you are purchasing, be certain it is Aloe Vera and not just any Aloe plant. Water it, but let it go dry thoroughly before watering again.

If you’ve had experiences with this plant treasure, please share it by adding a comment below.

Wheat is Not the Staff of Life Anymore

Perhaps at one time, when produced in the area in which you lived and processed with a stone grinder, wheat sustained life. Now, for most individuals, it fosters illness.

Wheat is found in numerous products. It’s ubiquitous. Since I educate myself by being a label reader, I’ve been astounded to find that wheat is in so many foods. I eat essentially no wheat, by choice, so this really got my attention.

When asked, I’ve often suggested that an overweight person stop eating wheat. In every case the person followed my suggestion, the results were phenomenal. I’ve also suggested to people with a variety of other conditions that they eliminate wheat. And when they’ve done so, they’ve also experienced profound results for the specific condition as well as other conditions they had come to accept as "normal."

I suggest 100% elimination of wheat to truly test your tolerance or intolerance. Whether you’re overweight or have aches and pains and other physical complaints, likely you’ll find symptoms and discomforts will dissipate with the elimination of wheat. This is not an easy task. However, if you abstain 100%, you’re likely to experience at least minimal or moderate positive results in as little as three days.

Wheat comes processed with other substances, most of which are tasty, addictive, and debilitating. Food manufacturers typically use salt, sugar, wheat, dairy, and msg in their products, all of which are known to be addictive. Add to that the fact that the products are cooked so they arrive in an unnatural package, free from the enzymes that help you to digest the foods properly.

Refined Sugar is not Sweet for Your Body or Emotional Well Being

When talking about sugar, I like to be as clear as possible that I mean "refined sugar" or "processed sugar." I understand that the worst of all the refined sugars is high fructose corn syrup — the cheapest and most used. The names chosen by the food industry are extensive. To educate yourself, I suggest you do a Google Search for Names of Sugar.

Many of the sugar substitutes are as devastating to the person wishing to lost weight or get healthy because they make the body hungry for the very foods that add excess weight to the body. Again I recommend a trip to Google for a Search for Sugar Substitutes and Weight Gain.

Natural Substitutes for Processed Sugar

Natural sugar is found in fruits and other plant foods. If you’re both overweight and diabetic, you need to be careful of these as well. And don’t be fooled simply because a sugar is derived from a plant food; it matters how the sugar is extracted. If heat above 118 degrees is applied, it’s not longer raw and natural. U. S. labeling laws allow the indiscriminate use of the word "natural," so that it has no real meaning on the shelves.

Here are some sweeteners that are generally good for your health. Moderation and other dynamics need to be taken into consideration. Look for organic items that are raw for greatest health.

With minimal commentary, they are: stevia (which is sold as a supplement rather than a sweetener), dates, dried fruit, mesquite pod meal, carob, Xylitol, yacon syrup, honey (usually not either raw or vegan). If you have problems with sugar, not all these are appropriate.

Glycemic Index

According to the Home of the Glycemic Index, "The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating. Foods with a high GI are those which are rapidly digested and absorbed and result in marked fluctuations in blood sugar levels. Low-GI foods, by virtue of their slow digestion and absorption, produce gradual rises in blood sugar and insulin levels, and have proven benefits for health."

I believe that the Glycemic Index is a somewhat helpful indicator, especially for anyone who is overweight or has some blood sugar condition. It’s probably more helpful to think of it as a GENERAL indicator or comparison than an ABSOLUTE indicator.

At the above web site, you can search the GI Database for your favorite foods or types of foods.

This site is definitely not geared to the raw foodist! I just checked out "lettuce" and it gave me seven results, none of which was lettuce alone, but in combinations of foods for typical American meals.

I did, however, have a slightly better set of results searching for "carrot." With twelve results, one was actually "Carrots, raw"!

So, use it if it’s helpful, but take it with a grain of … sugar.

Substitutes for Wheat

Unfortunately, many of the new processed foods that are promoted as "gluten-free" or "wheat-free" are rarely good for those who want to be free of gluten or wheat. While they may be lacking gluten or wheat, they’re often filled with other highly processed grains, like corn and/or rice, in forms that take you off the charts on the glycemic Index.

I just searched for "gluten-free" to find that one of the twenty-seven returns has a GI of 102. This is quite revealing, since the scale when originally calibrated was based on 1-100. Now, certain foods are beyond what was once considered to be the highest on the chart.

As far as I’m concerned, grains have no place in a raw food diet. Since they need to be cooked to be palatable, they’re not raw. You get to choose whether or not to eat wheat or other grains. Typically, the most difficult food for most raw foodists to give up is bread. For those who have severe negative reactions, it’s self-evident to abstain.

An Overarching Choice

As I mentioned in Lose Weight with Raw Foods, I advocate selecting one rule or principle to follow that makes all the daily choices easier. The focus of that article is using raw foods for their slimming effect because I was responding to a reader’s specific question.

However, the principle is the same for any set of choices, especially when you want to make a change in a habit, such as increasing the amount of raw food in your diet.

Question from Heather
Can I lose weight by being on a raw food diet?

Additional Comments from Heather
I’ve been up and down on the scales most of my life. I don’t even like to get on the scales any more, but there is no denying how my clothes fit and how I feel. (Answer: not well and not well.) I’ve heard that eating raw and living foods is very helpful for losing weight. Is that true?

Joy’s Response to Heather

The direct, simple answer to Heather’s question is: yes, absolutely, you can lost weight on a raw food eating plan if you’re currently overweight and eat cooked foods. But there’s more to the answer, so please read on.

First of all, I have to be clear that I don’t claim to be an expert on weight loss. Come to think of it, many people who claim this expertise have very limited views, mainly because they have a one-size-fits-all mentality and/or a product to sell. I don’t fault any of them, but I want to acknowledge that you’re an individual who needs to find your own successful approach.

Based on what Heather has said and what I know about raw foods and body weight, I’d like to offer an approach that puts you in charge of your eating. While I’ve never had a problem of being overweight, I have sensitivity to the problem, as many around me do. I’ve also experienced food addictions which would have led to excess weight if left unchecked.

The Starting Place: An Empowering Purpose

When you consider changing to a raw food cuisine for the purpose of weight loss, that can either empower you temporarily or serve to sabotage you. So sometimes, it’s just better to have the purpose of "going raw" or "adding raw" for general health benefits. Likely, you’ll experience a variety of benefits, including slimming.

What I’m suggesting is that you make health, rather than the bathroom scales or clothes size, the primary motivator. Let how you feel guide you.

You may also be successful creating a series short term goals with the broader purpose of health based on eating foods that are filled with nutrition. There’s so much conflicting data, so I’m suggesting you simplify your eating plan and use your feelings to guide you.

Choose One Rule for Yourself

I’ve seen many people change their eating or other habits drastically. While a drastic change may ultimately be necessary, so often people can’t incorporate the changes if the changes are too many or dramatically different from their familiar patterns. Take one step at a time, one meal at a time, one day at a time.

Everyone’s different, of course, but I’ve found that if you have one simple "rule" or "guideline" for yourself, you’re so much more likely to follow through. A single idea will help you to organize yourself for success.

If you’re put off by the word "rule," choose another word. I’ve already suggested that "guideline" is an alternative. The key is that you want only ONE idea or action to remember to make the decisions at each meal easier.

In fact, this principle is the reason that so many people can lose weight if they follow one program diligently. However, you need to find a program or approach that can work for a lifetime, not one that you abandon after a period of time because you’ve reached your weight goal, experienced boredom, or passed the date (wedding, graduation, etc.) that served as an incentive.

One Rule I Chose Years Ago

I’ll give you a personal eating example, although it’s not related to raw food eating. It was many years ago when my children were very little and I was participating in various groups and meetings with other parents. And, oh, the food! People brought goodies that were enticing, pretty, laden with fat, and filled with sugar.

My One Rule was: Participate in these meetings without eating. It was like pre-making the decision so I wasn’t faced with re-making the decision each time. Of course, if the gathering was a meal, the rule didn’t apply, but I still passed on the dessert tray.

When I had made the "rule" — which felt good to me to make — I didn’t feel deprived. When I applied the rule again and again, I didn’t feel deprived. I simply was not tempted because I had a long-term purpose.

Perhaps you’d feel deprived under these circumstances. If so, it’s really important you create a different rule. You can choose a very difficult rule and still not be deprived. Or start with an easy rule that empowers you into success right away. Make it joyful.

One Rule to Stop or One Rule to Start

People feel inspired by different opportunities. My own example above was a rule I chose for myself to stop — to not take — an action. That worked for me, without making me feel deprived.

In choosing a raw, living food cuisine or just more raw foods, it’s so much easier to find a rule of something to start. That way, the stop actions are so much easier.

After mastering your first One Rule, you can add others or you can expand your One Rule. Be really gentle with yourself. Make joyful choices, one at a time.

Examples of One Rule Approaches in Living Foods

Here are some beginning places. All are stated positively, with nothing to stop, only items to include in your eating. With these few examples, you can easily construct your own One Rule. Remember, you want to start with something compelling, something that makes you feel empowered and not deprived.

1. Consume something raw every time you eat. This is a very helpful guideline if you feel ready for it. The "something raw" could be as little as a sprig of parsley. Or, of course, it could include a whole meal of raw food items. "Every time you eat" means every time and not necessarily every thing.

2. Eat two (or one or four or any number) Superfood items/servings each day. There are many superfoods. You can check the "Categories" in the left navigation bar for the articles I’ve written so far, with more to come.

3. When at home, eat all vegetables raw. At most restaurants, it’s also possible to ask for uncooked vegetables, but at least at home, you can have total control in your own food preparation.

Does any of these examples feel good to you? If so, adopt it adapt it and get started. If not, start with a different positive action you want to sustain about raw foods or start with One Rule that relates to a stop-action.

Examples of One Rule Approaches in Stopping Cooked Foods

Here are some beginning places to stop consuming non-living foods. You might find it very helpful to select one or two individual items to eliminate. However, this works most effectively if you make the One Rule broad enough to included many individual items, and specific enough to give you guidance at each meal or shopping trip, when you must make a single-item choice.

1. Stop eating cooked wheat. Wheat is not the staff of life anymore. It’s addictive and devastating to a large percentage of the population. I’ll write more about this as a follow up to this article.

2. Stop eating refined sugar. Refined sugar goes by many names, and the artificial substitutes are also extremely unhealthy. Both are addictive and play a large part in obesity and other gradations of overweight. More in a future article, including some sweet substitutes that are healthy.

3. Stop overeating. You’ve had enough food when you’ve eaten some and still feel comfortable. It’s surprising how little quantity the body needs when you’re properly nourished. One of the reasons that so many people crave large amounts of cooked foods is lack of nutrients in the cooked foods. With raw foods, and especially raw superfoods, the nutrients are dense so you naturally want less.

Does any of these examples feel good to you? If so, adopt or adapt it and get started. If not, start with a different stop-action you want to sustain or return to One Rule that relates to including raw foods.

I have Inspired Myself to Write More

Heather, thanks so much for your question. It has stimulated more ideas that I’d like to share in future articles. Quite honestly, when I received your question, I wasn’t sure I wanted to tackle it. It is a BIG question, and I’ve only touched the surface in this one article.

I plan to write a series of articles, returning to this one to expand on some of the ideas here.

You cannot expect to make a change in your body contour
without making some changes in your thinking and your behavior.

When raw, nuts are dormant; after soaking, they’re living! These two different states of nuts is one of the best ways to understand the distinction between raw foods and living foods.

As long as you start with raw organic nuts (from a source you trust) out of their shells, you’ll have a living food after soaking.

Almonds require the longest soak time (16-24 hours) because they’re the hardest of the nuts. The soak water is toxic, so don’t use it, even for watering plants. Rinse nuts well after soaking.

Vast Variety of Nuts

Different nuts require different soak time, and the soak water has different degrees of toxicity. Over time, I’ll add more information at this blog about nuts.

In my raw food cuisine, I’ve used nuts of all kinds. I’ve prepared pistaschio hummus, almond milk, cashew ice cream, walnuts warmed in a dehydrator, pecan cookies, pinenut salad dressings, brazil nut pate, and nut butters. I often add almond meal to my Raw Food Energy Soup.

I especially like almonds because they’re so nutritious, and the most alkaline of all the nuts. Almonds are definitely worthy of being called a superfood, although I don’t consider that all nuts are superfoods.

I especially like the really raw cashews because once soaked they’re very soft and blend into a creamy pudding, adding a texture that is often associated with dairy. Unfortunately, many cashews are sold as "raw" but have had high heat applied to remove the shells. It’s good to be sure that the package says "really raw" or has another qualifier that tells you that high heat has not been applied.

Cacao is also a nut. I eat cacao daily for the rich mineral content, pleasant flavor, and my general well being. In fact, I eat cacao multiple times each day.

Most nuts go well with sweet, sour, bitter, or salty flavorings to build tasty dishes.

Digestion

When eating nuts or any high-fat foods, it’s important for digestion to consume greens with them. Not many greens are natural accompaniments — can you imagine broccoli as a garnish for chocolate mousse?

Mint, spirulina, and sometimes parsley and basil work. And you can also plan to have lots of fresh greens which are loaded with minerals and enzymes for your meal before (or after) a nut/fat dish.

Protein in Nuts

Many people consider that raw foodists must get all their protein from nuts. However, most nuts don’t have all 8 of the essential amino acids that qualify the food as a "complete protein." Almonds do have all the essential amino acids and some of the other amino acids, as well.

Nuts include protein, fat, and carbohydrate, and are more properly classified as a source of fat than a source of protein.

Moderation

As with all food, moderation is the key. Because of the fat content, nuts tend to be very satisfying. When I have a nut dish, it’s frequently my whole meal with perhaps some greens in a salad or as a garnish.

Those who are committed to eating a raw/living cuisine can do so regardless of their climate — and many ARE. Alive, fresh organic produce is more readily available everywhere, at least in North America, because of demand.

To Warm or Not to Warm, that is the Question

There are ways to warm foods without killing the enzymes and otherwise denaturing the foods. If you really want warm foods, check out the book Warming up to Living Foods by Elysa Markowitz.

Remember, just EATING warms the body. Cayenne or ginger or other warm spices warm the body. I remember that when I used to prepare hot tea, I was more comforted by holding the warm cup than drinking the contents! Even water is corrupted by heat — at 159 degrees, water is corrupted.

I have a warming section on my gas stove. At the "medium" setting, liquid reaches and maintains 115 degrees. I usually have warm herbal tea "brewing" which can be nice when a friend comes to visit. You can test the temperature of water with a candy thermometer, available from any kitchen supply store.

As I mention in Raw Sprouted Pea Soup, you can use a dehydrator or warming tray to warm dishes and/or start your food preparation with warm water and room temperature ingredients. Even a warm tea before eating can be very comforting.

I expect (though I cannot guarantee) that if you discover raw food dishes you like, the idea of hot or even warm foods will be a small factor, even on very cold days. And if you’re compelled to eat something hot or cooked, eat it! Eat it with a smile on your face.

Choosing the Living Food Lifestyle

To my way of thinking, it’s all about making a choice. If you don’t want to eat raw foods, that’s your choice — make it joyfully. If you do, you’ll find benefits beyond what you might imagine in the midst of eating your familiar foods.

A little education helps. Or a lot. I made and sustained the commitment to raw foods primarily because I focused on educating myself, as you can read in My Raw Food Story. Writing this blog takes my own education many steps further because expressing what I know gives me access to even deeper knowledge.

Anyone who doesn’t want to eat raw/living foods can come up with any number of reasons not to. Anyone who wants to eat raw/living foods can be creative and find ways around excuses. We all must choose, and choose based on what feels good to us. No one way works for everyone.

Alissa Cohen, David Wolfe, Gabriel Cousens, Cheri Soria, Brigitte Mars, along with many others, bring different aspects to the knowledge base of raw and living foods. The Internet has de-centralized the information so that the ordinary person can have access to great minds and resources. Books on the subject are now plentiful. I’ve purchased and read over 100 books on the subject, some of which are in the right navigation bar; other resources are in the left navigation bar.

We can feed our minds to help us to more properly feed our bodies.

Needless to day, I grew up with the notion that "soup" meant something warm or hot. These days, I have soups nearly every day when I’m not traveling, and they’re neither warm nor hot! They’re raw and room temperature. My friend Jill calls my soups, "salad to blender to bowl."

Here’s a recipe with some alternatives. We prepare some variation of the soup rather regularly because we love sprouted peas. When the children were little, we found that they loved to watch the peas quickly sprout a little tail. We learned lots of ways to use the peas they sprouted!

Sprouted Pea Soup: 4 Servings
Ingredients 2 cups sprouted peas 1 cup snow peas or sugar peas 1 medium avocado 1 small-medium apple 1 ½ cups best available water ¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper Celtic Sea salt to taste (or use any highly mineralized salt)
Directions Prepare apple and avocado by removing non-edible parts. Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor until it reaches the desired consistency. See a variety of suggestions below.

Sprouted Peas. We sprout these ourselves; however, some health food stores are now carrying peas that have been sprouted. I’ve pictured sprouted peas above, as distinct from pea sprouts (below), which are long with a leaf at the end. We purchase our peas for sprouting at a variety of places (see the left navigation bar in the "Sprouting Seeds" section for suggestions). Our special favorite is the San Francisco Mix at Sprout People. We use the peas when they’ve sprouted about 2-4 days.

Snow or Sugar Peas. To be honest, we usually make the recipe with sprouted peas. However, snow peas or peas right out of the pod are a nice addition. We have also added pea sprouts, as shown above, as another texture.

Avocado. Nicely ripened avocado makes this soup creamy and green, adding healthy fat and subtle flavor. When we’re ready to make the soup but without a properly ripened avocado, we use raw, soaked nuts. They also require proper timing, as almonds need to be soaked about 24 hours and cashews or walnuts need to be soaked 6-8 hours. Allow 3-4 nuts per serving.

Apple. We’ve prepared this soup without the apple and it’s just as tasty. The apple adds wonderful nutrients, crunch, and crispiness. "An apple a day …." If you haven’t had your apple that day, be sure to add one to this soup.

Water. Opinions abound about the "right" water to consume. I try to stay away from the controversy; besides, some people cannot get the water that raw food purists consider to be the best. So, you choose what you believe is the best available water.

Cayenne Pepper. We use ground cayenne pepper often. If that’s not to your taste, you’ll still find this a wonderful dish if you omit it. Because peas have a more neutral flavor than many vegetables, experiment with your own favorite herbs or spices.

Celtic Sea Salt. Be certain not to spoil this wonderful raw soup with "regular" table salt. What you want here is a highly mineralized salt, of which there are many to choose from. Sea vegetables are another alternative, about ¼ to ½ teaspoon. Another alternative is celery. When we add celery to this soup, we place the water and celery in the blender first to break down the fibers. Then we add all the additional ingredients because they need much less blending.

Texture. Varied textures create different taste sensations. This soup, as many raw soups, can be successful as chunky, smooth, or pureed. We usually prefer a chunky soup, as that reminds us to chew. Chewing is an important part of the digestive process. Here are some considerations for experimenting:

• Blend these ingredients into a puree. If you do that, be certain to save out some of the sprouted peas or pea sprouts for garnish.
• Create a nice texture this way: blend the ingredients briefly, remove most of the soup to a bowl, puree the remaining, and add the puree to the briefly blended soup. This thickens the soup, but without any artificial ingredients.

Temperature. At our house, we eat most of our foods at room temperature. If you like a different temperature, consider:

• For a warm soup, heat the water (be careful to keep it below 118° if you want a truly raw soup) or place the soup in the dehydrator or on a warming tray enough to warm it. Some people, especially in colder climates, prefer warm foods.
• If you like it chilled, start with refrigerated ingredients, then place the soup in the refrigerator for a brief period.

Whatever you eat, eat with a smile on your face and love in your heart.