Raw Diets – Fact or Fiction?
A raw diet consists of minimally cooked foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, legumes, and seaweed. Raw foodies believe cooking foods above 116° destroys vital enzymes that play a part in digesting and absorbing nutrients.
If all raw seems crazy, there is some wiggle room – 75% of your intake should be raw or uncooked. While there are some benefits to a raw dietincreased energy and stamina, glowing skin, weight loss (a friend lost 20 lbs in the first 2 months of a raw diet), and reducing your risk for heart disease, some experience withdrawal symptoms similar to cleansing and fasting. Like headaches. Nausea. Cravings. These symptoms usually pass in a few days.
My friend, who still maintains 50% raw intake after a year, swears that if a meal takes longer than 10 minutes to prepare, she doesn’t do it. Others aver that dehydrators, food processors, blenders and juicers are a must. While I personally cannot conceive following a raw diet, I do appreciate many of the recipes as additions to my meals.
Try a few recipes on for size – a raw diet (or a few recipes) just might fit you!
Kale, Avocado and Mango Salad – 10 minutes
- 1 head kale (dark curly kind)
- Juice of 1 lime
- Celtic sea salt or regular sea salt
- Red onion – chopped and added to taste
- Pine nuts – about ¼ to 1/3 cup
- Raspberry vinaigrette (or other sweet dressing)
- 1 mango, sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced
Remove the kale leaves from the stems, wash well, rinse and place in large bowl.
Add lime juice and a teaspoon of salt. Scrunch down the kale with your hands (for about 5 minutes). You will begin to feel the kale break down from the lime and salt.
Continue scrunching until the kale is soft, then toss in the red onion, pine nuts and a drizzle of raspberry dressing.
Plate the kale on 2 large salad plates, top with ½ sliced mango and ½ sliced avocado.
Drizzle with additional raspberry dressing if desired.
SUPER DELICIOUS
Menopause — Hot Flash or Power Surge? It’s Heating!
The cessation of estrogen production in your body can trigger hot flashes, irritability, disturbed sleep and night sweats. When your ovaries stop producing estrogen, focus on foods that are can help fill the void, like:
- First generation soy – such as tofu, soy milk, soy beans, and tempeh. The phytoestrogens in soy are milder than estradiol, your body’s estrogen, but may still offer benefit.
- Almonds, apples, beets, cabbage, carrots, cashews, cherries, corn, cucumber, rice, squash and yams
- Legumes, flax, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, kelp
- Millet, barley, quinoa, oats, rye, bulgar, buckwheat and whole wheat.
Relax in the evenings instead of multi-tasking to get everything done – enjoy!