There seems to be a rise in the cases of autoimmune disorders lately. You get to hear of more and more people contracting diseases like MS, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and many others. Some people contend that we’re getting to know more about such cases only because of modern medicine that helps practitioners diagnose better those maladies. Still, others attribute the illnesses to factors in the environment, principally pollution, and the foods that people eat. In response, a number of people have taken to the raw diet, staying away from processed foods that contain refined sugars, high fructose corn syrup, and other forms of additives, all in an effort to attain good health.
You should understand that following the raw food diet does not mean that you will eat only raw foods. The objective really is to eat the foods as closest to their natural state. So, you either eat them raw as they are, or to cook them by steaming or boiling, at most. It also goes that you would want to avoid highly processed foods. Therefore, if you are a rice person, for example, you should get the unpolished brown rice instead of white rice.
If you want to know the types of food included in this diet, here’s a brief rundown: whole grain cereals, legumes, fermented soy products, fruits, vegetables, seaweed, brown rice, soba noodles, all types of beans, and tofu. You will note that the list does include meat. This is because the raw diet doesn't encourage eating of red meat. It allows the consumption of just fish and other seafood, at most.
The raw diet concept involves the right combination of food items to ensure proper digestion. This is the so-called yin and yang of the digestive process. The diet admonishes against eating much of the yin foods some of which are potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, beets, spinach, eggplant, and avocado. Make sure to consume those foods in moderation.
The diet places much importance on the intake of vegetables and disapproves the ingestion of drinks with stimulants (e.g., caffeine). In other words, if you are following the raw food diet, you should drink herbal teas and plenty of water instead of coffee or soda.
Another aspect that you must understand about the raw food diet is the manner by which meals are eaten. Portions are kept small and food must be chewed very well. Chewing the food properly helps facilitate the digestion without overworking the stomach and the intestines. Other than breaking the food into much smaller sizes, chewing mixes the food with saliva which is the initial step in the digestion process.
To help you plan your meal under the raw food diet, here’s a quick guide on how the portions work:
* 50% of your meal should be made up of whole grains to include brown rice. This should work to your advantage if you are allergic to gluten because rice is gluten-free.
* 33% of your meal should be vegetables.
* 10% of your meal should be beans and legumes.
* 5% for soup, any kind.
* 2% for some nuts, juices, fish, and appropriate seasoning.
Do remember that you are advised against eating red meat but if you must eat meat, at least buy from the local butcher to avoid meat and meat products that are laden with chemicals such as preservatives. In fact, you are encouraged to eat only the locally produced foods. If you will go along with the raw food diet and take to heart the foregoing guidelines, it won’t be long until you see and feel an improvement in your health.
Author Resource:
After years of neglect, I found that my health had suffered. My website, www.CompleteOnlineHealth.com contains the result of my journey back towards health.
Paul Strachocki
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.look4articles.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")