10 Good Reasons To Eat Raw Foods

A host of chronic health conditions and feeling lousy all the time, lead me to make the shift from a standard American diet to raw, living foods. Ten months into this healing journey, I can give you a long list of the benefits I've reaped as a result. Symptoms of ill health that plagued me – migraines, heartburn, fatigue, joint inflammation, acne, cellulite, edema, morbid obesity – have disappeared.

There are lots of websites devoted to educating people about the raw foods lifestyle. I decided to take a cyber-cruise and see what reasons other folks list for going raw:

To strengthen your immune system.
To break your emotional attachment to food.
To raise your vibration.
To reach your body's natural weight.
To function at your peak performance.
To detoxify your body.
To reverse the signs of aging.
To have unlimited energy.
To save time and money.
To help the environment and lighten your carbon footprint.

While none are my own, I have to agree they're all good reasons. But, do you have to eat all raw, all the time to benefit? No. I'm a firm believer that what you leave out of your diet, is equally important as what you add in. The more highly refined and processed foods you eliminate, the better.

Our body is roughly 75 percent water. Try to mirror that percentage on your plate with fresh uncooked fruit and vegetables at each meal.

See that Smart Shopper Guide in the sidebar to the right? Click on it, print the page, and hang it on your fridge. Buy and eat organic whenever possible. Pay with your dollar instead of your health.

Load up on leafy greens – juices, smoothies, salads, wraps, supplements. Aim for at least two pounds of greens a day.

So, if 75 percent of your plate is raw, what's comprising the other 25 percent? Try to improve the cooked components of your diet.

Healthier Transition Foods

steamed vegetables
steamed sweet potatoes or squash
sprouted grain breads
whole grains
almond milk
sulfur-free dried fruits
unpasteurized cheese and milk (preferably goat or sheep)
wild-caught fish
organic, grass-fed meat and poultry

It stands to reason that for optimum health and nutrition, you'll need to eat as close to nature as possible. What you'll find is that your body will naturally guide you toward more healthy choices. Today, cooked food and animal flesh just don't have the same appeal to me as they once did. You can look at A Day In The Life to see my own progression.

Recommended Reading

Whatever your current diet, these two books are wonderful resources, chock full of information and inspiration to get you started on your own healing journey.