Raw Food Diet

Could you please tell me what are your thoughts on a Raw Food Diet. 85% raw - 15% cooked. No meat, no dairy. I feel much better - and my sugars are better , but I have a husband and he doesn't eat this way. He's pretty good. He will eat mostly what I prepare for him. But it is difficult to stick to it. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks Suzy

Suzy
The diet you are describing can really help one with diabetes. The whole point behind this approach is that you are maximizing your nutrient intake by eating foods with a high nutrient density. Plant foods have the highest nutrient density (land and sea veggies, fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes). Animal foods are lower in nutrient density compared to plant foods. Refined and processed foods are the lowest (donuts, cakes, etc.) - they actually use up the existing nutrients in our bodies. Ideally, one would eat all organic to maximize nutrient intake, since organically grown foods have been shown to have more nutrients overall compared to conventionally grown foods.

The other aspect is the raw component. A 'raw' food contains enzymes. When foods are heated over 114 F the enzyme content starts diminishing rapidly. Fully cooked foods have no enzyme content at all. The more enzymatically live foods we eat, the less food we need to consume in general. This will help with weight loss. The downside is that during the winter season and rainy seasons it is harder to maintain a raw diet. During these times of the year we do need to eat at least some partially cooked and warm foods.

When you eat this way you will certainly lower your blood sugar. You will ultimately feel better too. If you add raw juices, you will further maximize your nutritional status and further heal.

We all grew up in what I call the 'sickness culture'. Our culture leads us to habits that actually create sickness in our lives. Most of us don't exercise, we stay inside and watch TV or play video games. We are taught from a very early age to eat sugar loaded nutrient depleted foods. We watch violence on TV, which we get desensitized to. In addition, we all carry around with us lots of unresolved emotonal junk, which from a mindbody perspective further leads us to sickness. This is the sickness culture. A diabetic's body is crying out for the sweetness of life. Unfortunately, most people compensate for this lack of sweetness by eating sugar loaded, nutrient depleted foods.

When someone, like yourself begins living according to any aspect of the 'health culture', people think we are freaks only because we go against the convention. This in my experience is the hardest part for people in healing from diabetes or any other disease. Society acts like a magnet and pulls us back to gorging ourselves wih corn chips and ice cream while watching TV at 11pm.

As far as your husband's taste buds are concerned, I can say two things: 1) From my experience, it is not usually the raw component per se, but the recipes people create that just don't taste good. If this is the case, I recommend you get various recipe books and experiment, 2) It is a matter of time until his taste buds acclimate to new tastes. The things we like to eat are learned. If he is at least willing, then time is what you need.

I recommend Gabriel Cousen's books to anyone wishing to heal from diabetes: Spiritual Nutrition and especially There is a Cure For Diabetes.

Dr. Krupa