Many of my client’s when I suggest incorporating more “raw” foods into their dietary routine, I get a multitude of different faces. LOL… I know it is not what many are used to doing, and they strongly question my methods or logic as to why!!!!!!
I can sum it up simply put… “ENZYME ACTIVITY”. When our foods are cooked many are done at temps of 350 or better; way beyond what our normal body temperature rolls at.
” Imagine your car without a battery. Dead, right? That’s exactly what your body would be without enzymes. To put it succinctly, enzymes are the “spark plugs of life.” There is little in the body that can function without them, digestion, endocrine system, body filters like liver & kidney’s. They are what regenerates our cells, they help with taking out the trash within our bodies.
So the more cooked “dead” food you consume it is sure to state eventually the body is going to head that direction as well. Sorry but the truth….
That doesn’t mean you don’t ever eat any cooked foods, it means you need to contribute a balanced effort. I usually have client’s begin with a 60/40 method to begin, meaning 60% of what you are consuming needs to be raw from the fruits/veggie category, and the other 40% cooked. So easy solution, have some fruit smoothies for breakfast, and a side salad with lunch and dinner, make fruits and veggies your in between meal snacks. There is a wealth of recipe websites and blogs rolling around these days with some wonderful creative ways to avoid getting “BORED” with what you are eating.
Another great avenue is to invest in a good juicer I recommend the Champion Juicer: It’s way more than a typical juicer, you can make your juices of course, but you can also make your own “nut” butters ( almond, cashew, peanut etc.), you can make fresh homemade baby food, and even homemade fruit ice cream. Clean up is a total breeze. I’ve had mine for over 30 yrs. folks. It has managed to survive 5 children, demonstrations for Raw Food & Juicing classes held at my office, coupled with daily use for years.
So the bottom line is, if you continue to eat food daily that has a shelf life, the essence is you will shorten your life. The body by design, NEEDS to have live nutrients for survival. Eating animal meat everyday isn’t going to get it done, eating nothing but bread, pasta and potatoes isn’t going to get it done either. There has to be a balance between real fruits and vegetables, nuts for the body to assimilate proper amounts of vitamins, nutrients, minerals and enzymes which these “real/raw” foods naturally contain.
So in answer to my title of this post: Why Raw vs. Cooked? Because it’s what your body needs. Your car needs unleaded fuel to run, you wouldn’t put diesel fuel in instead, or you would put sugar water in the tank, because it won’t be what the running components need for your car to “move”. Same analogy applies to your body an the type of fuel you “choose” as the running agent.
Healthfully yours,
Jodi Barnett N.H.C.
QFA Clinician, Orthomolecular Nutrition coach,
Raw Food coach,
Harvested Health LLC
Cedar Lake, IN
219-713-4789
www.jodibarnett758.wordpress.com
Harvested Health LLC. 
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