RawFoodLife, LLC – Page 7 – The Science of Raw Food!

Matt Monarch’s Raw Ice Cream

October 9, 2016

by Matthew Monarch, Jan., 2017
Proprietor, RawFoodWorld.com

Today I’m going to show you how to make the best raw ice cream on the planet. This ain’t no typical banana ice cream… It’s the real deal! One of my best friends used to make raw ice cream and he would sell pints of it at the Ojai Farmer’s Market. He divulged this incredible recipe to me and I am going to share it with you right now! We are going to also make a low glycemic version, which has never been done before!

Original Recipe:

For amazing raw ice cream, blend the following ingredients together in a high-speed blender. Strain mixture through a nut milk bag. Set aside and use pulp for another recipe if you wish.
¾ – 1 c. almonds
¼ c. coconut crystals
3 large medjool dates

After straining, place the mixture back in the blender and add the following:
1 c. coconut meat
3/4 c. coconut butter
½ c. cashews
¾ c. coconut crystals
2 tsp. vanilla powder (optional)

Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender until you reach your desired consistency. Place in an ice cream maker or a glass container and put in freezer. for delicious raw ice cream! Optional: If in a glass container, stir 2-3 times every 30 minutes for the best consistency.

Low Glycemic Version:

3 ½ c. coconut water
¾-1 c. almonds
¼ c. mesquite powder
1/8 c. carob powder

Blend all ingredients together in a high-speed blender. Strain mixture through a nut milk bag. Set aside and use pulp for another recipe if you wish. Place mixture back in blender. Add the following to the blender:
1 c. frozen coconut meat
1 c. coconut butter
½ c. cashews
2 tsp. vanilla powder (optional)
½ c. mesquite powder
½ c. carob powder

Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender until you reach desired consistency. Place in an ice cream maker or a glass container and place in freezer. Optional: If in a glass container, stir 2-3 times every 30 minutes for the best consistency.

Which Should I Buy First — a Juicer or Blender?

Robert Ross

October 9, 2016

Which Should I Buy First — a Juicer or Blender?

A juicer or blender – which should I get first? This is the most common question I am asked wherever I go. Since top-quality masticating juicers and high-speed blenders are expensive, everyone starting a raw food lifestyle is trying to decide whether to invest in a juicer first or a blender. So here is what you need to know to make an informed decision. Remember, when I talk about fruit and vegetables, or any foods, I am talking about USA-grown organic produce!

A Juicer or Blender — Both are Essential to a Raw Food Lifestyle

Comparing a blenders or juicer is like comparing jogging with yoga. They’re both very healthy, yet they’re as different as can be. To get the best health benefit you may want to use both.

The first rule of thumb for everyone on a raw food diet is that you MUST get high, quality, dense, easily absorbable nutrition, whether from juicers or blenders! These days, with our soils so depleted and seeds stock often weaker, its almost impossible to get adequate nutrition just from raw fruits, nuts and vegetables, even when organic. But with the addition of some fresh raw juices and smoothies it becomes easy!

Either a juicer or blender will give you a huge shot of dense nutrition that your body will absorb like a sponge. There are some important differences, but the main thing is that it isn’t a contest – both make a valuable contribution to a raw food lifestyle, though in different ways.

“Raw vegetable juices…are digested and assimilated within 10 to 15 minutes after we drink them and they are used almost entirely in the nourishment and regeneration of the cells and tissues, glands and organs of the body. In this case the result is obvious, as the entire process of digestion and assimilation is completed with a maximum degree of speed and efficiency, and with a minimum of effort on the part of the digestive system.”
– Norman Walker, “Fresh Vegetable and Fruit Juices”, pg 9

Juicing, in a slow speed masticating juicer, is designed to extract as much densely packed nutrition from vegetables as possible by removing all the fiber (pulp). This makes it faster and easier for your body to assimilate all this nutrition without activating your digestive system. When you have fiber in a meal, or even a smoothie, it can take hours to digest and absorb. But with fresh raw juices your body can do the same job in minutes!

Of course, there is nothing wrong with fiber – it is an essential part of a raw food diet. You have to eat food! Juicing is only one tool you need in a raw food lifestyle to assure yourself of getting the high nutritional density a raw food diet needs to be successful. But it isn’t a replacement for eating real food. In addition, juicing is ideal for cleansing and detoxification as well as for people with very sensitive digestive systems that may be sensitive to a high fiber raw food diet when the first start.

The benefits of zero fiber means juicing is easy on your digestive system, so is often used for juice “feasts” or fasts as a method to gently cleanse and detox the body while giving the digestive system a rest. Smoothies and drinks made with blenders don’t do that. A high powered blender like the Vitamix or Blendtec cracks open the cellular wall of your fruits or veggies, releasing all the nutrients and making them easier to assimilate – but it is much more like eating a meal since you still have all the fiber and other ingredients in the smoothie. You get better assimilation, but not the concentrated nutritional density of juice because you couldn’t ever get as much food into a Blendtec or Vitamix as you get when you make just one glass of juice.

For example, a typical juice recipe for me includes:

2 carrots
5 large kale leaves
1/2 a bunch of parsley
1 large cucumber
8 large stalks of celery
1 knob of ginger

You could never eat this much food all at once if you had to thoroughly chew it. Blending it would include a lot but still no where near as much.

I use my Blendtec blender regularly to make smoothies almost every morning for my breakfast. This is part of my Fast, Easy 75% Raw Food Strategy. The way that works is based on the fact that (with snacks counting as one meal) we normally eat 4 meals a day. So if you have 2 raw meals plus raw snacks you are automatically a 75% raw foodist! To make that easy I usually have a smoothie every morning, a big salad for lunch or dinner, all raw food snacks and then anything I want for dinner (within reason of course).

I use my juicer to occasionally replace meals when I want to lose a little weight, for a quick pick me up or during a fast – even just a one-day fast. Finally, sometimes you want a smoothie with all the fiber to help “chimney sweep” the colon. Juice has no fiber so doesn’t cleanse the colon at all. So both are good, but if I had to start with one I would start with a Blendtec or Vitamix because it is much easier to start a raw food program with smoothies than juices.

It is important to remember that even fresh, raw juices are highly concentrated, processed foods – only you did the processing yourself. So when you make fresh juice you are concentrating whatever is in the fruits or vegetables, from the vitamins and minerals (good) to the sugar (bad)! Of course, we all know that fruits are loaded with of sugar (fructose) but even fresh raw vegetable juice can be high in sugar (mostly glucose) – especially non-greens like carrots or beets.

The reason you have to be careful about making juices too sweet is that they can elevate your blood sugar, which is a problem for anyone with blood-glucose issues like diabetes or hypoglycemia or damage your liver (fructose). Even if you haven’t been diagnosed with hypoglycemia or diabetes you could have subtle symptoms that aren’t yet diagnosable from decades of eating processed foods that always have added sugar in them! If you have known blood sugar issues please talk with your medical professional before you start juicing.

It is easy to forget that both smoothies and juices are processed FOODS and quickly chug them down like water. But you must always remember when enjoying your juicers or blenders to “drink your solids and chew your liquids” — because digestion begins in the mouth. It is best to chew your smoothies and juices to thoroughly mix them with the digestive enzymes in your stomach. Neglecting this can cause imperfect absorption, or even gas and bloating.

The Benefits of Blenders

The fiber in smoothies, especially green smoothies, has a cleansing effect on the colon.
Smoothies are more filling than juices and more satisfying for regular, long-term use.
Sugar is absorbed slower because of the fiber. Smoothies let you to enjoy fruit without the inevitable sugar spike you could get from some juices. The fruit in a smoothies will be like eating whole fruits.
NOTE: For most people I recommend avoiding fruit entirely when starting a raw food diet because we all suffer from improper sugar digestion to some degree after decades of eating processed foods.
Store-bought smoothies are designed more for their profit than your health. These smoothies are usually made with the cheapest, most commercial ingredients like frozen fruit, sugary juices and liquors for taste. It is rare to find a juice bar that will pay a few cents extra to buy organic ingredients, so if they didn’t thoroughly wash everything then you could be getting pesticide and chemical residues in your smoothies, too – far from the health-builder you were looking for!
Blenders are easy to clean. Most of the time I clean my blender just by running it under hot tap water. I sometimes add a bit of water and dish soap to the blender and push the Pulse button for a few seconds. Because blenders are so much easier to use and clean they are often the first choice of investments when starting a raw food diet. Remember, the easier it is the more you are likely to actually do it. When you start with a blender you give yourself the best shot at acclimating yourself to a raw food lifestyle successfully.
Smoothies are a great tasting treat for the whole family – especially kids. Smoothies are great for making fruit-based drinks because it contains the whole fruit and avoids a lot of the sugar rush kids get from processed, sugary drinks. You can easily mix and match flavors to please the taste buds of anyone in your family, from a favorite fruit to a dash of raw, unsweetened cacao powder.
You can make a lot more than just smoothies with a modern, high-power blender. It’s easy to make everything from warmed-up soups (under 118°F to be still raw) and sauces top salsas, salad dressings and dips.
You can also add food-based supplements and super foods to your smoothies. A spoonful of hemp protein powder or spirulina adds a ton of dense nutrition to your smoothies. You probably wouldn’t add supplements to a glass of fresh juice, however.

The Benefits of Juicers

Though I usually recommend blenders for starting out on raw food because it is easier and more convenient, virtually all long-term, serious raw foodists use juicers as well. As your diet becomes more and more raw-food based, you will need more and more sources of densely packed nutrition because your body will start to assimilate more nutrition from a smaller volume of food. To support this you need to periodically enjoy fresh raw juices both just for fun as well as for the occasional cleanse or detox.

Fresh juices are the fastest shortcut to dense, easily absorbed nutrition. Fresh, raw juice gives you all the nutrients without requiring work by the digestive system, ideal for cleanses or detox as well as for people who have digestion problems and who need to heal themselves before they can properly absorb nutrients from raw foods. Though the fiber in smoothies helps “sweep” the colon, juice is also a great way to cleanse other systems in your body while giving the digestive system a rest.
Juice is ideal for cleansing, detoxifying and healing. I have seen numerous people heal all kinds of chronic health problems by following a supervised juice fast or juice feast. The idea is to drink only fresh, organic raw juice for a period of time, allowing your digestive system to take a break while your excretory system can work on deeper detoxifying. When your body is eating cooked food you are consuming toxins faster than you can eliminate them so they build up in your tissues, eventually causing health problems and disease. But if you stop consuming new toxins and let your digestive system rest, your excretory or elimination systems no longer have to deal with incoming toxins and start working on eliminating older, built-up toxins in your tissues.
In general, juice vegetables but eat your fruits whole or avoid them altogether. Fruits need all their original fiber in order to slow down the absorption of sugar in your blood. Most vegetables contain less sugar and therefore don’t need as much fiber to slow down absorption (with the exception of carrots and beets).
Juicing gives you a quick burst of energy since it takes so little time for your body to absorb the dense nutrition in juice.
Whenever you are juicing for more than a day it is a good idea to help your system detoxify all the toxins your excretory system will be flushing from your body. For that, always drink plenty of pure water. Also, since there is little or nothing passing through a major excretory organ – the colon – you should help flush the toxins that are usually removed by the colon using enemas or colonics.
Cleaning a juicer is a bit more work than cleaning a blender. Personally, I don’t think the time difference is significant – a matter of minutes.
Juices are less satisfying or filling than smoothies. After a smoothie you may feel like you just had a meal. After a juice, since there is no fiber, you may not always feel as satisfied. However, that feeling of satisfaction is a bit of “programming” based on old habits – not on what your body actually needs nutritionally. I have found that I quickly get used to juicing even during a juice fast. When fasting I always drink plenty of water, which helps make me feel more satisfied (of course, I drink high pH alkaline mineral water from my water ionizer). I also carry a thermos filled with fresh juice that I can sip on throughout the day during fasts just in case I do getting a little overwhelmed by hunger.
A juicer lets you juice almost anything. You might never put beets, carrots or ginger into your smoothies, but you can juice them easily. Dark leafy greens like kale and spinach are easier to juice and more alkaline-forming. In a green smoothie you can only add one or two large leaves of kale without affecting the taste while dramatically adding to the alkalinity.

Introduction to Juicing for the Raw Food Lifestyle

Raw Food, Your Enzymes & Your Weight

Robert Ross

October 9, 2016

Here’s your bottom line for easy weight loss …

With a healthy digestive system, it is virtually impossible to be gain weight with whole, raw, live foods! Now that’s easy weight loss! You can eat anything you want, as much as you want (as long as it is raw, whole, live food) and not gain an ounce in most cases. Exceptions include people with digestive or glandular disorders – though they will probably do better on raw, live foods.

When you first start eating more raw foods, you may need some time to cleanse, detoxify and rebuild your digestive system before noticing substantial weight loss. That may take anywhere from a few months to a few years. You will start feeling much better fairly soon, after a period of detoxification and getting over the actual “addictions” we all have to toxic foods.

A weight problem is not an isolated issue, but is part of your “whole being.”

An imbalance in one part of the body effects your entire system. Weight is a symptom of what is going on with your elimination system, glandular system, emotions, sleep patterns, stress levels, liver, colon, skin, lungs, blood, spirit and chi or energy levels.

The enzymes found naturally in whole, live, raw foods help with obesity at the “whole being” level. You see, enzymes do much more in your body than help digest food. Enzymes are responsible for every single chemical reaction in every single cell of your body. All your minerals, herbs, vitamins and hormones cannot do their jobs without enzymes. Your can’t lift an arm or think one thought without the help of enzymes. In fact, you could say that enzymes are, biologically speaking, the source of life. A diet without a source of live enzymes is removed from the source of life. Things removed from their source of life slowly begin to die. For us, that leads to dis-ease, excessive weight gain, depression – many of the maladies that plague us today.

One of the magic bullets for easy weight loss is simply the action of enzymes. These are the more commonly known digestive enzymes:

lipase — breaks down fats
protease — breaks down proteins
cellulase — breaksg down fiber
amylase — breaks down starch
lactase — breaks down dairy products
sucrase — breaks down sugar
maltase — breaks down grains

Inadequate amounts of any of these digestive enzymes results in incomplete digestion causing left-over waste product that toxify the body. When we consume foods rich in enzymes, the foods “self-digest,” causing little or no stress on the body.

For example, lipase, a fat splitting enzyme, is found abundantly in raw, live foods. However, few of us eat enough raw foods to get enough lipase to burn even a normal amount of fat, not to mention any excess. Lipase helps your body in digestion, fat distribution and fat burning for energy. Lipase breaks down and dissolves fat throughout the body. Without lipase, fat stagnates and accumulates. You can see it on your hips, thighs, buttocks and the stomach.

Protease is another enzyme for easy weight loss and maintaining a healthy body. Protease helps break down proteins and eliminate toxins. Eliminating toxins is essential when you are burning fat. Your body stores excess toxins in body fat. As your body begins to burn this fat the toxins are released into your system. This can sometimes cause water retention and bloating. Since Protease attacks and eliminates toxins, it is crucial to have plenty of protease during fat loss.

Also, common sense tells us that if you cannot get enough nutrition from the food you take in, which is what happens when you cook food, your body receives a signal that it needs to store fat to prevent starvation and will hold on to even more fat. It will also send a signal that you are hungry. This results in a vicious cycle of eating more and more and still feeling hungry. Combine the physical effects with the mental effects of poor digestion and insufficient enzymes with your natural reaction to all of this emotionally and It can lead to eating disorders, depression and anxiety as well.

if you eat close to 100% fresh raw, whole foods, then you get adequate nutrition and enough enzymes to digest your foods properly. if you eat cooked foods, you’ll be eating dead foods that have NO enzymes and are loaded witih toxins created by cookiing. That means your body must scavenge enzymes for digestion from other metabolic processes in your body, wasting energy and resources. However, living food enzymes will over time restore energy and stamina and rebuild your healthy metabolism of all nutrients, including fats. When you feel better physically, you’ll feel better emotionally, too.

Today’s modern high-speed lifestyle kills enzymes in more ways than just cooking food. Stress can damage enzymes. Food additives can kill them. GMO’s often have altered genes. Pesticides and herbicides stay on your food and can’t be washed off. Frequent air travel, work outs, coffee breaks, air pollution, food irradiation, radiation from Chernobyl and Fukushima — and even poor sleep – all kill enzymes. No wonder we are enzyme deficient! So eating raw, live, enzyme-rich foods is more than just a weight loss or digestion issue – it affects your whole life, your whole being. In fact, you’ll even be happier – and have more fun!

Cooking also chemically changes healthy food into poisons that create dis-ease.

We all know these days that cooking kills life-giving enzymes, but did you know that it also creates dis-ease causing toxins. These toxins not only destroy the nutrition in your food, they eventually build up causing many modern “diseases of civilization!”

You see, many toxins and carcinogens are created when food is heated or cooked. It’s a bit like a chemistry experiment in high school — combine several things in a beaker over a Bunsen burner and you’ll get a chemical reaction! This more often than not transforms molecules of nutrition into hazardous substances that can over time contribute to dis-eases from cancer and Alzheimer’s to diabetes and more!

The Most Natural Weight Loss Plan — Raw, Whole, Organic Food!

In our modern world, raw food is in a serious competition, not just with cooked foods but also convenience foods. Many diet programs have been abandoned by millions of people because they weren’t convenient enough! But a raw food lifestyle IS NOT a diet plan … its a way of life! Over time, as your begin to adjust to your new lifestyle, your body slowly returns to its normal, healthy metabolism, easily maintaining it’s natural weight.

How To Maintain An Optimum Enzyme Level

Change your eating habits and lifestyle so that you reduce stress on your digestive system with raw food.

Replenish your body with enzymes by either taking a supplement or — my favorite — eating more raw, organic fruits and vegetables loaded with enzymes. Also, you can help restore your body quickly by drinking fresh fruit and vegetable juices.

And always remember that you have a choice about what you put in your mouth!

How I lost 75 lbs in 3 months just eating Raw Foods

After struggling with chronic fatigue for years, which slowed my metabolism, I gained more weight than ever before. I got most of my health back on a diet that averaged about 80% raw foods, with lots of cleansing and detoxifying. But after four years eating mostly raw, I still had a long way to go.

I finally woke up one day and realized that it was time to go 100% raw – it was like stepping out of a fat suit into my real body. The fat was disappearing, almost magically, virtually overnight. I didn’t even exercise (though I do now). Of course, years of cleansing, detoxifying and rebuilding my digestive and immune systems prepared my body for losing a lot of weight and – even more importantly – keeping it off.

In fact, I was dropping weight so fast I had to eat lots of nuts, olives and avocados to slow it down.

Over the next few months I lost 75 lbs. I kept that weight off for almost two years. Since then, it has been an ongoing struggle – yes, even for me. Though I have kept most of it off on a mostly raw diet (80-100% raw), I have a tendency to occasionally fall off the wagon – like most normal people! So last year, after gaining back about 50 lbs., I went did a 3-week cleanse and a strict raw diet, and lost about 35 lbs. in about two months. Of course results vary from person to person, and may change with what’s going on in your life – like they did for me.

This isn’t magic – it’s enzymes — along with the elimination of all the toxins created by cooking! My metabolism slows down when I consume unhealthy toxins. But when I make optimal food choices, going back to what I instinctively know is right, it kicks back in. I think it’s perfectly normal to slip occasionally, so long as I get back on track eventually. Raw food works for me, and I decided to make it my life’s mission to help it work for you, too!

by Robert Ross

Weight Loss … More Than a Diet

The Science of Broccoli — Cruciferous Vegetables May Prevent Cancer

Robert Ross

October 9, 2016

The Science of Broccoli — Cruciferous Vegetables May Prevent Cancer

Introduction by Robert Ross

Isothiocyanates are derived from the hydrolysis (breakdown) of glucosinolates—sulfur-containing compounds found in cruciferous vegetables.
Cruciferous vegetables contain a variety of glucosinolates, each of which forms a different isothiocyanate when hydrolyzed.
Isothiocyanates, such as sulforaphane, may help prevent cancer by promoting the elimination of potential carcinogens from the body and by enhancing the transcription of tumor suppressor proteins.
Epidemiological studies provide some evidence that human exposure to isothiocyanates through cruciferous vegetable consumption may decrease cancer risk, but the protective effects may be influenced by individual genetic variation in the metabolism and elimination of isothiocyanates from the body.
Glucosinolates are present in relatively high concentrations in cruciferous vegetables, but cooking, particularly boiling and microwaving at high power, may decrease the bio-availability of isothiocyanates.

Cooking Destroys Natural Cancer Protection .. the Scientific Proof

It has been known for some time that eating cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage, can help prevent some forms of cancer, such as breast cancer, but the mechanism was unknown until now. According to ScienceDaily.com (Dec. 29, 2008), U.C. Santa Barbara scientists have shown how the healing power of these vegetables actually works. Their research is published in this month’s journal Carcinogenesis. Other studies have shown that cooking can significantly decrease the bio-availability of the cancer-fighting compounds in these veggies!

Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables contain compounds called glucosinolates, the compounds found in cruciferous vegetables that give them their unique taste. Isothiocyanates are some of the biologically active hydrolysis (breakdown) products of glucosinolates, which according to many studies have cancer-preventive and anti-carcinogenic activities. Broccoli and broccoli sprouts have the highest amount of the isothiocyanates. One of these compounds, called sulforaphane (SFN), inhibits the proliferation of human tumor cells by a mechanism similar to the way that some anticancer drugs work – by inhibiting cell division during mitosis (cell division) and is much less toxic than drugs.

3-day old broccoli sprouts are concentrated sources of glucoraphanin, which contain 10-100 times more glucoraphanin by weight than mature broccoli plants. Broccoli sprouts that contain 73 mg of glucoraphanin (also called sulforaphane glucosinolate) per 1-oz serving are available in some health food and grocery stores. Remember, glucosinolates are water-soluble so cooking just a few minutes can decrease the glucosinolate content of cruciferous vegetables as much as a 59%. Cooking can also inactivate myrosinase, the enzyme that catalyzes glucosinolate hydrolysis into isothiocyanates, which has been shown to substantially decrease the bio-availability of isothiocyanates.

Isothiocyanates

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, and kale are rich sources of sulfur-containing compounds called glucosinolates. Isothiocyanates are biologically active hydrolysis (breakdown) products of glucosinolates. Cruciferous vegetables contain a range of different glucosinolates, each of forming a different isothiocyanate when hydrolyzed. For example, broccoli is a good source of glucoraphanin, the glucosinolate precursor of sulforaphane (SFN), and sinigrin, the glucosinolate precursor of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) (2). Watercress is a rich source of gluconasturtiin, the precursor of phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), and garden cress is rich in glucotropaeolin, the precursor of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC). Currently scientists are interested in the cancer-preventive activities of cruciferous vegetables that are rich in glucosinolates and isothiocyanates (3).

Metabolism & Bio-availability

Myrosinase, a class of enzymes that stimulates the hydrolysis of glucosinolates, is separated from glucosinolates in plant cells (4). When cruciferous vegetables are chopped or chewed, myrosinase interacts with glucosinolates and releases isothiocyanates from their precursors. Proper chewing of raw cruciferous vegetables increases glucosinolate contact with plant myrosinase and increases the amount of isothiocyanates absorbed (5).

Though myrosinase is mostly inactivated by heat, human intestinal bacteria lets some myrosinase form (6), but the absorption and excretion of isothiocyanates is substantially lower from cooked than from raw cruciferous vegetables (5, 7, 8)

Isothiocyanates are bound to glutathione during digestion tghanks to a family of enzymes called glutathione-S-transferases (GSTs), as well as mercapturic acids. These isothiocyanate metabolites can be measured in the urine and are strongly related to dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables (9). There is also evidence that isothiocyanate metabolites contribute to the biological activity of isothiocyanates (3, 10).

Effects on Bio-transformation Enzymes in Carcinogen Metabolism

Bio-transformation enzymes are important to the metabolism and elimination of a variety of chemicals, including drugs, toxins, and carcinogens. These enzymes catalyze reactions that increase the reactivity of hydrophobic (fat-soluble) compounds, increasing water solubility and promoting elimination of these toxins from the body (11).

Inhibition of Phase 1 Bio-transformation Enzymes

Some carcinogen precursors require bio-transformation by enzymes in order to become active carcinogens capable of binding DNA and causing mutations. Inhibition of specific CYP enzymes involved in carcinogen activation inhibits the development of cancer in animal models (3). Isothiocyanates have been found to inhibit carcinogen activation by CYP enzymes in animal studies (12, 13). Cell culture studies have also shown that SFN inhibits certain CYP enzymes (14). A small clinical trial in smokers found evidence that consumption of 170 g/d (6 oz/d) of watercress, which is rich in the glucosinolate precursor of PEITC, decreased the activation of a procarcinogen found in tobacco (15).

Induction of Phase II Bio-transformation Enzymes

Many isothiocyanates, are potent inducers of phase II enzymes in cultured human cells (2, 14). Phase II enzymes are important for protecting cells from DNA damage by carcinogens and reactive oxygen species (16). The genes for these and other phase II enzymes contain a specific sequence of DNA called an antioxidant response element (ARE). Isothiocyanates have been shown to increase phase II enzyme activity by increasing the transcription of genes that contain an ARE (17). Limited data from clinical trials suggests that glucosinolate-rich foods can increase phase II enzyme activity in humans. When smokers consumed 170 g/d (6 oz/d) of watercress, urinary excretion of glucuronidated nicotine metabolites increased significantly, suggesting UGT activity increased (18). Brussels sprouts are rich in glucosinolates, including precursors of AITC and SFN. Consumption of 300 g/d (11 oz/d) of Brussels sprouts for a week significantly increased plasma and intestinal GST levels in nonsmoking men (19, 20).

Preservation of Normal Cell Cycle Regulation

After a cell divides, it passes through a sequence of stages known as the cell cycle before dividing again. Following DNA damage, the cell cycle can be transiently arrested to allow for DNA repair or, if the damage cannot be repaired, activation of pathways leading to cell death (apoptosis) (21). Defective cell cycle regulation may result in the propagation of mutations that contribute to the development of cancer. A number of isothiocyanates, including AITC, BITC, PEITC, and SFN, have been found to induce cell cycle arrest in cultured cells (2).

Inhibition of Proliferation and Induction of Apoptosis

Unlike normal cells, cancer cells proliferate rapidly and lose the ability to respond to cell death signals that initiate apoptosis. Isothiocyanates have been found to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in a number of cancer cell lines (3, 22, 23).

Inhibition of Histone Deacetylation

DNA is coiled around basic proteins called histones in the nucleus of a cell. Acetylation and deacetylation of nuclear histones is an important mechanism for regulating gene transcription (24). But the balance between histone acetyl transferase and histone deacetylase activities can be disrupted in cancer cells. Compounds that inhibit histone deacetylases may suppress the development of cancer by inducing the transcription of tumor suppressor proteins that promote differentiation and apoptosis in precancerous cells (25). SFN and AITC metabolites have been found to inhibit histone deacetylase activity in cultured cancer cells (10, 26-28). In humans, histone deacetylase activity was inhibited in blood cells following ingestion of 68 g (one cup) of SFN-rich broccoli sprouts (29).

Anti-inflammatory Activity

Inflammation promotes cellular proliferation and inhibits apoptosis, increasing the risk of developing cancer (30). SFN and PEITC have been found to decrease the secretion of inflammatory signaling molecules by white blood cells; these compounds also have been shown to decrease DNA binding of NF-kappaB, a pro-inflammatory transcription factor (31, 32).

Antibacterial Activity: Helicobacter pylori

Bacterial infection with H. pylori is associated with a marked increase in the risk of gastric cancer (33). In the test tube and in tissue culture, purified SFN inhibited the growth and killed multiple strains of H. pylori, including antibiotic resistant strains (34). In an animal model of H. pylori infection, SFN administration for five days eradicated H. pylori from eight out of 11 xenografts of human gastric tissue implanted in immune-compromised mice (35). However, in a small clinical trial, consumption of up to 56 g/d (2 oz/d) of glucoraphanin-rich broccoli sprouts for a week was associated with H. pylori eradication in only three out of nine gastritis patients (36). Further research is needed to determine whether SFN or foods rich in its precursor, glucobrassicin, will be helpful in the treatment of H. pylori infection in humans.

Cancer Prevention

Naturally occurring isothiocyanates and their metabolites have been found to inhibit the development of chemically-induced cancers of the lung, liver, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, and mammary gland (breast) in a variety of animal models (3, 12). Although epidemiological studies provide some evidence that higher intakes of cruciferous vegetables are associated with decreased cancer risk in humans (37), it is difficult to determine whether such protective effects are related to isothiocyanates or other factors associated with cruciferous vegetable consumption (see Cruciferous Vegetables). Investigators have attempted to calculate human isothiocyanate exposure based on assessments of cruciferous vegetable intake and measurements of the maximal amounts of isothiocyanates that can be liberated from various cruciferous vegetables in the laboratory (38). Case-control studies using this technique found that dietary isothiocyanate intakes were significantly lower in Chinese women (39) and U.S. men (40) diagnosed with lung cancer than in cancer-free control groups. Assessing dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables may not accurately measure an individual’s exposure to isothiocyanates, since other factors may alter the amount of isothiocyanates formed and absorbed (see Metabolism and Bioavailability above).

Measuring urinary excretion of isothiocyanates and their metabolites may provide a better assessment of isothiocyanate exposure (9, 41, 42), but few studies have examined relationships between urinary isothiocyanate excretion and cancer risk. In a prospective study, Chinese men with detectable levels of urinary isothiocyanates at baseline were at significantly lower risk of developing lung cancer over the next ten years than men with undetectable levels (43). A case-control study found that urinary isothiocyanate excretion was significantly lower in Chinese women diagnosed with breast cancer than in a cancer-free control group (44). In contrast, cruciferous vegetable intake estimated from a food frequency questionnaire was not associated with breast cancer risk in the same study.

Genetic Variation in Isothiocyanate Metabolism and Cancer Risk

GSTs are a family of phase II bio-transformation enzymes that promote the metabolism and elimination of isothiocyanates and other compounds from the body. Genetic variations (polymorphisms) that affect the activity of GST enzymes have been identified in humans. Null variants of the GSTM1 gene and GSTT1 gene contain large deletions, and individuals who inherit two copies of the GSTM1-null or GSTT1-null gene cannot produce the corresponding GST enzyme (45). Lower GST activity in such individuals could result in slower elimination and thus longer exposure to isothiocyanates after cruciferous vegetable consumption (9). In support of this idea, several epidemiological studies found that inverse associations between isothiocyanate intake from cruciferous vegetables and the risk of lung cancer (39, 40, 43, 46, 47) or colon cancer (48-50) were more pronounced in GSTM1-null or GSTT1-null individuals. These findings suggest a protective role for isothiocyanates that may be enhanced in individuals who more slowly eliminate them from the body.

FOOD SOURCES

Where to find Cruciferous Vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables, such as bok choi, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, radish, rutabaga, turnip, and watercress, are rich sources of glucosinolate precursors of isothiocyanates (51). Unlike some other phytochemicals, glucosinolates are present in relatively high concentrations in commonly consumed portions of cruciferous vegetables. For example ½ cup of raw broccoli might provide more than 25 mg of total glucosinolates. Total glucosinolate contents of selected cruciferous vegetables are presented in Table 1 (52). Some cruciferous vegetables are better sources of specific glucosinolates (and isothiocyanates) than others. Table 2 lists vegetables that are relatively good sources of some of the isothiocyanates that are currently being studied for their cancer-preventive properties. Amounts of isothiocyanates formed from glucosinolates in foods are variable and depend partly on food processing and preparation (see Effects of Cooking below). Consumption of five or more weekly servings of cruciferous vegetables has been associated with significant reductions in cancer risk in some prospective cohort studies (53-55).

Broccoli Sprouts

The amount of glucoraphanin, the precursor of SFN, in broccoli seeds remains more or less constant as those seeds germinate and grow into mature plants. Thus, 3-day old broccoli sprouts are concentrated sources of glucoraphanin, which contain 10-100 times more glucoraphanin by weight than mature broccoli plants (56). Broccoli sprouts that are certified to contain at least 73 mg of glucoraphanin (also called sulforaphane glucosinolate) per 1-oz serving are available in some health food and grocery stores.

Effects of Cooking

Glucosinolates are water-soluble compounds that may be leached into cooking water. Boiling cruciferous vegetables from 9-15 minutes resulted in 18-59% decreases in the total glucosinolate content of cruciferous vegetables (52). Cooking methods that use less water, such as steaming or microwaving, may reduce glucosinolate losses. However, some cooking practices, including boiling (5), steaming (7, 58), and microwaving at high power (750-900 watts) (8, 58, 59), may inactivate myrosinase, the enzyme that catalyzes glucosinolate hydrolysis. Even in the absence of plant myrosinase activity, the myrosinase activity of human intestinal bacteria results in some glucosinolate hydrolysis (6). However, several studies in humans have found that inactivation of myrosinase in cruciferous vegetables substantially decreases the bio-availability of isothiocyanates (5, 7, 8).

Supplements

Dietary supplements containing extracts of broccoli sprouts, broccoli, and other cruciferous vegetables are available without a prescription. Some products are standardized to contain a minimum amount of glucosinolates and/or sulforaphane. However, the bioavailability of isothiocyanates derived from these supplements is not known.

Adverse Effects

No serious adverse effects of isothiocyanates in humans have been reported. The majority of animal studies have found that isothiocyanates inhibited the development of cancer when given prior to the chemical carcinogen (pre-initiation) However, very high intakes of PEITC or BITC (25-250 times higher than average human dietary isothiocyanate intakes) have been found to promote bladder cancer in rats when given after a chemical carcinogen (post-initiation) (60). The relevance of these findings to human urinary bladder cancer is not clear, since at least one prospective cohort study found cruciferous vegetable consumption to be inversely associated with the risk of bladder cancer in men (55).

Pregnancy and Lactation

Although high dietary intakes of glucosinolates from cruciferous vegetables are not known to have adverse effects during pregnancy or lactation, there is no information on the safety of purified isothiocyanates or supplements containing high doses of glucosinolates and/or isothiocyanates during pregnancy or lactation in humans.

Originally written by Jane Higdon, Ph.D., updated Nov., 2008 by Victoria J. Drake, Ph.D., Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. Original site provided by the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Robert Ross is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Linus Pauling Institute or Oregon State University.

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Original source written 09/05 by Jane Higdon, Ph.D., updated 11/08 by Victoria J. Drake, Ph.D., Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. Introduction by Robert Ross, 10/14 (not affiliated or endorsed by the Linus Pauling Institute or Oregon State University).

95 Scientific Reasons to Go Raw & Vegan!

Robert Ross

October 9, 2016

95 Scientific Reasons to Go Raw & Vegan!

We live in one of the most educated and knowledgeable societies in history, yet most of us can’t even begin to understand the actual Scientific Reasons for Raw Food. All that information is readily available. But though people may talk about the science behind a vegan or raw food diet and think they’re relying on science, the actual studies cited are usually biased or inaccurate. Very few reliable studies have ever been done specifically on vegan or raw food. So we must find a range of studies in related areas to get an idea of how a vegan, raw diet is actually less toxic and more nutritious. Here is a selection that I put together awhile back that gives some idea of the benefits of raw, vegan food.

Neu5Gc is found only in meat and appears to have a strong link to cancer and heart disease.
Though Neu5Gc is not produced by the human body, it is usually always found in human tumors. The inflammation it causes seems to feed tumors and harden arteries.
Diversity in specificity, abundance, and composition of anti-Neu5Gc antibodies in normal humans: potential implications for disease. Glycobiology. 2008 Oct;18(10:818-30.
Arachidonic acid is found in animal products and is linked to brain inflammation, depression, anxiety, and stress.Chicken and eggs are the top sources of arachidonic acid.
Arachidonic acid is used by our bodies to create inflammation. Our bodies produce all the arachidonic acid we need unlike other animals (e.g. cats who produce little to none because their bodies expect to get theirs from their diet, i.e., meat. Excess arachidonic acid causes excess inflammation.
Preliminary evidence that vegetarian diet improves mood. American Public Health Association annual conference, November 7-11, 2009. Philadelphia, PA.
National Cancer Institute. 2010. Sources of Selected Fatty Acids among the US Population, 2005–06.
Top 15 foods for Advanced Glycation end products (AGEs0 are all meat.
AGEs are gerontotoxins (AKA aging toxins). AGEs cause proteins to cross together causing stiffness, oxidation stress, and inflammation in muscles, brain tissue, eyes, heart, bone, red blood cells, and kidneys.
Does accumulation of advanced glycation end products contribute to the aging phenotype? J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2010 Sep;65(9:963-75. Epub 2010 May 17.
Advanced glycation end products in foods and a practical guide to their reduction in the diet. J Am Diet Assoc. 2010 Jun;110(6:911-16.e12.
A single meal of high-fat animal products has been shown to spike inflammation that can stiffen one’s arteries. High-fat animal products also cause inflammation in the lungs.
Sausage and egg McMuffins were used as the high fat meal in this study.
Effect of a single high-fat meal on endothelial function in healthy subjects. Am J Cardiol. 1997 Feb 1; 79(3:350-4.
Significant levels of bacterial toxins are found in animal products that cause endotoxemia (bacterial toxins in the bloodstream) within hours of eating.
The capacity of foodstuffs to induce innate immune activation of human monocytes in vitro is dependent on food content of stimulants of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4. Br J Nutr. 2011 Jan; 105(1:15-23.
Bacteria endotoxins from animal products survive high heat cooking for long periods, acid (like our stomachs) and digestive enzymes.
The capacity of foodstuffs to induce innate immune activation of human monocytes in vitro is dependent on food content of stimulants of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4. Br J Nutr. 2011 Jan; 105(1:15-23.
Endotoxins have a strong affinity for the fat transport system in our digestive tract.
Since our body is using our fat transport system to let in all the saturated fat which our body loves to absorb from animal products, the endotoxins slip right in.
The capacity of foodstuffs to induce innate immune activation of human monocytes in vitro is dependent on food content of stimulants of Toll-like receptors 2 and 4. Br J Nutr. 2011 Jan; 105(1:15-23.
Even wild, grass consuming animals cause inflammation in our bodies.
Inflammation was less than domestic animals. It is believe that the lower fat content in wild animals explains this.
Differences in postprandial inflammatory responses to a ‘modern’ v. traditional meat meal: a preliminary study. Br J Nutr. 2010 Sep;104(5:724-8.
Dietary fat in animals is linked to pancreatic cancer.
Dietary fatty acids and pancreatic cancer in the NIH-AARP diet and health study. J Natl Cancer Inst. 2009 Jul 15;101(14:1001-11.
The consumption of chicken causes urinary tract infections.
Food reservoir for Escherichia coli causing urinary tract infections. Emerg Infect Dis, 16(1:88-95, 2010.
Cholesterol has been shown to feed and promote the growth of cancer.
Cholesterol and breast cancer development. Current Opinion in Pharmacology. 2012 12 (6:677–682.
Half an egg a day or more is shown to double the odds of mouth, throat, esophageal, prostate, and bladder cancer; triple the odds of colon and breast cancer.
Egg consumption and the risk of cancer: a multisite case-control study in Uruguay.
Obesogen (chemicals that signal cells to turn into fat cells organotin) has been found in large amounts in fish.
Environmental obesogens: Organotins and endocrine disruption via nuclear receptor signaling. Endocrinology, 147(6 – Suppl:-50, 2006.
Dietary intake of organotin compounds in Finland: a market-basket study.
Meat has little or no antioxidants.
The total antioxidant content of more than 3100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. Nutr J. 2010 Jan 22;9:3.
High levels of PCB in fish oil, fish, and eggs (94% of eggs tested).
European Food Safety Authority; Results of the monitoring of non dioxin-like PCBs in food and feed. EFSA Journal 2010; 8(7:1701. [35 pp.]. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2010.1701.
Harvard studies of 37,698 men and 83,644 women, over 22 and 30 years, respectively, found red meat increases total mortality rates and cancer mortality rates.
Red Meat Consumption and Mortality: Results From 2 Prospective Cohort Studies. Arch Intern Med. 2012;0(2012:201122871-9.
Nitrites in processed meat form nitrosamines (carcinogens also found in cigarette smoke) and are associated with the two pediatric cancers, brain tumors and childhood leukemia.
A meta-analysis of maternal cured meat consumption during pregnancy and the risk of childhood brain tumors. Neuroepidemiology. 2004 Jan-Apr;23(1-2:78-84.
Nitrites, nitrosamines, and cancer. Lancet. 1968 May 18;1(7551:1071-2.
47% of U.S. retail meat tested is contaminated with Staphylococcus bacteria. Multidrug resistant strains were common.
Turkey was the most common with 77% and chicken and pork with 41% and 42%, respectively. A superbug version (methicillin resistant) was also found that can jump from pig to human.
Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in US Meat and Poultry. Clin Infect Dis. 2011 May;52(10:1227-30.
Infectious disease. From pigs to people: the emergence of a new superbug.
Eating meat just a few times a month greatly increases the chances of abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Abdominal aortic aneurysm have less than a 15% survival rate.
Analysis of risk factors for abdominal aortic aneurysm in a cohort of more than 3 million individuals. J Vasc Surg. 2010 Sep;52(3:539-48.
The liver can only detox about 50% of the heterocyclic amines (carcinogens formed from cooked chicken) — not 99% as originally thought.
The animal that can detox 99% is the lab rat, leading to the previous incorrect conclusion.
Biomonitoring of urinary metabolites of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (phip following human consumption of cooked chicken. Food Chem. Toxicol., 46(9:3200-3205, 2008.
One of the longest running studies showed meat consumption increases allergies. This included asthma, bee stings, drug allergies, and hayfever.
Meat (including fish) consumed by pregnant woman can cause their children to have allergies.
Knutsen SF. Lifestyle and the use of health services. Am J Clin Nutr. 1994 May;59(5 Suppl:1171S-1175S.
Maternal meat and fat consumption during pregnancy and suspected atopic eczema in Japanese infants aged 3-4 months: the Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study. Pediatr Allergy Immunol. 2010 Feb;21(1 Pt 1:38-46. Epub 2009 Jun 23.
Putrescine has been determined to be a carcinogenic. Putrescine is found in food even when not spoiled. Highest level in canned tuna.
Toxicological Effects of Dietary Biogenic Amines. Current Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 6, Number 2, May 2010 , pp. 145-156(12
Significance of biogenic amines to food safety and human health. Food Research International, Volume 29, Issue 7, October 1996, Pages 675-690.
100% of human Yersinia enterocolitica outbreak over the last decade was caused by pork.
Y. enterocolitica usually causes bloody diarrhea and can have very harmful long-term effects if left untreated. Half of American pig herds were infected.
Ranking the disease burden of 14 pathogens in food sources in the United States using attribution data from outbreak investigations and expert elicitation. J. Food Prot. 75, 1278 – 1291 (2012. Prevalence of pathogenic Yersinia enterocolitica strains in pigs in the United States. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 71, 7117 – 7121 (2005).
Processed meat is greatly associated with stomach, colon, rectum, pancreatic, lung, prostate, testicular, kidney, and bladder cancer.
Canadian Cancer Registries Epidemiology Research Group. Salt, processed meat and the risk of cancer. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2011 Mar;20(2:132-9.
Even small amounts of meat ( less than once a week) can lead to degenerative arthritis.
Associations between meat consumption and the prevalence of degenerative arthritis and soft tissue disorders in the Adventist health study, California U.S.A. J Nutr Health Aging, 10(1:7-14, 2006.
After breast cancer diagnosis, increase in saturated fat consumption increased mortality from breast cancer by 41%.
Top 5 saturated fat sources include cheese, pizza, pastries, ice cream, and chicken.
Post-diagnosis dietary factors and survival after invasive breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2011 Jul;128(1:229-36.
National Cancer Institute. 2010. Top Food Sources of Saturated Fat among US Population.
Poultry consumption is associated with an increase in lymphoma.
Consumption of meat and dairy and lymphoma risk in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition. Int J Cancer. 2011 Feb 1;128(3:623-34.
Chicken handling significantly increased risk of dying from penile cancer, thought to be due to exposure to cancer causing viruses in poultry.
Cancer mortality in poultry slaughtering/processing plant workers belonging to a union pension fund. Environ Res. 2010 Aug;110(6:588-94.
14% of retail eggs contain viruses of the leukosis/sarcoma group.
These viruses are one of the most potent cancer causing viruses in chicken. Virus exposure to humans seems to increase risk of dying from several different cancers.
Detection of exogenous and endogenous avian leukosis virus in commercial chicken eggs using reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction assay. Avian Pathology (1999 28, 385±392
Cancer mortality in poultry slaughtering/processing plant workers belonging to a union pension fund. Environ Res. 2010 Aug;110(6:588-94.
Besides cancer, poultry workers suffer more from a range of diseases (e.g. thyroid conditions, schizophrenia, autoimmune neurological disorders, peritonitis, and disease of the kidneys.
Mortality in the Baltimore union poultry cohort: non-malignant diseases. Int Arch Occup Environ Health. 2010 Jun;83(5:543-52.
Cured meat seems to increase the chance of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
COPD is defined as lung diseases like emphysema. As of 2012, COPD is the third most common killer in the United States.
Consumption of cured meats and prospective risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Apr;87(4:1002-8.
Increased meat consumption increases the risk of developing cataracts.
Diet, vegetarianism, and cataract risk. Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 May;93(5:1128-35.
Bacteria-eating viruses (bacteriophages) have been approved as meat additives.
Bacteria-eating virus approved as food additive. FDA Consum. 2007 Jan-Feb; 41(1:20-2.
Meat contaminated with fecal food-poisoning bacteria (e.g. salmonella) can legally be sold.
Public knowledge and beliefs about diarrheal disease. Foodborne Pathog Dis. 2011 Jan; 8(1:165-7.
Meat, fish, cheese, and animal protein have been associated with an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Animal protein intake and risk of inflammatory bowel disease: The E3N prospective study. Am J Gastroenterol. 2010 Oct; 105(10:2195-201.
One of the largest studies ever links meat consumption to increased overall death, death by cancer, and death by cardiovascular disease.
Study followed 500,000 people over 10 years.
Meat intake and mortality: a prospective study of over half a million people. Arch Intern Med. 2009 March 23; 169(6: 562–571.
High intake of meat, dairy, and butter have been shown to promote skin wrinkling.
Skin wrinkling: can food make a difference? J Am Coll Nutr. 2001 Feb;20(1:71-80.
Abdominal fat has been linked to meat, egg, and milk consumption. Poultry seems to be the worst offender.
Will all Americans become overweight or obese? Estimating the progression and cost of the US obesity epidemic. Obesity (Silver Spring, 16(10:2323-2330, 2008.
Heterocyclic Amines normally only found in meat have been found in cheese and eggs.
Formation and biochemistry of carcinogenic heterocyclic aromatic amines in cooked meats. Toxicol Lett. 2007 Feb 5;168(3:219-27. Epub 2006 Nov 16.
Kidney failure is linked to meat.
Meat consumption was caused human proteins to be urinated out, which should never happen.
Associations of diet with albuminuria and kidney function decline. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2010 May; 5(5:836-43.
New, lower target cholesterol levels are not obtainable when meat is consumed.
High marks for below-average cholesterol. For the best protection against clogged arteries and heart disease, average cholesterol no longer makes the grade–lower is better. Harv Heart Lett. 2006 Feb;16(6:4-5.
Iron found in meat passes through the digestive system without regulation.
The body has no way to get rid of excess iron. Iron can cause oxidative stress and DNA damage. Too much iron can cause colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, infection, and inflammatory conditions.
Mechanisms of heme iron absorption: current questions and controversies. World J Gastroenterol. 2008 Jul 14; 14(26:4101-10.
Animal foods (including turkey) shown to decrease tryptophan in the brain.
Tryptophan rich animal foods like turkey increase the tryptophan levels in the blood but decrease it in the brain.
Protein-source tryptophan as an efficacious treatment for social anxiety disorder: a pilot study. Can J Physiol Pharmacol. 2007 Sep;85(9:928-32.
Meat has no fiber to support healthy bacteria in our guts. That means our bacteria cannot produce propionate, used to regulate cholesterol, help us feel satisfied or regulate generation of new fat cells.
Propionate. Anti-obesity and satiety enhancing factor? Appetite. 2011 Apr;56(2:511-5.
Refined grains, eggs, and poultry shown to cause prostate enlargement the most.
Food groups and risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Urology. 2006 Jan;67(1:73-9.
Even when meat consumption is reduced to only fish and eggs, insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), shown to promote cancer growth, remained relatively the same.
The associations of diet with serum insulin-like growth factor I and its main binding proteins in 292 women meat-eaters, vegetarians, and vegans. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2002 Nov;11(11:1441-8.
Arsenic, lead, mercury, lead, cadmium, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and veterinary drugs have been found in animal products.
Chemical safety of meat and meat products. Meat Sci. 2010 Sep;86(1:38-48.
Fire retardant chemicals (PBDE) and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) found in meats.
Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE levels in an expanded market basket survey of U.S. food and estimated PBDE dietary intake by age and sex. Environ Health Perspect. 2006 Oct;114(10:1515-20.
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in U.S. Meat and poultry from two statistically designed surveys showing trends and levels from 2002 to 2008. Agric Food Chem. 2011 May 25;59(10:5428-34.
Consumption of meat, fish, and dairy associated with mothers passing on DDT to their unborn child even decades after the pesticide being banned.
Organochlorine pesticides in umbilical cord blood serum of women from Southern Spain and adherence to the Mediterranean diet. Food Chem Toxicol. 2010 May;48(5:1311-5.
Perfluorochemicals (linked to thyroid disease) exposure comes from meat, fish, and eggs.
Perfluorochemicals in meat, eggs and indoor dust in China: assessment of sources and pathways of human exposure to perfluorochemicals. Environ Sci Technol. 2010 May 1;44(9:3572-9.
30 year follow up of multiple sclerosis patients showed 95% of those who stopped consuming saturated fat had no progression of the disease.
A 50 year follow up showed those 95% who started to consume animal fat again instantly had the disease return. The conclusion of the study said MS is mostly likely caused from saturated animal fat.
Effect of low saturated fat diet in early and late cases of multiple sclerosis. Lancet 1990 336(8706:37 – 39.
Review of MS patient survival on a Swank low saturated fat diet. Nutrition 2003 19(2:161 – 162.
Increase dairy intake can double your risk of heart attack.
Plasma and erythrocyte biomarkers of dairy fat intake and risk of ischemic heart disease. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86(4:929, 2007.
Almost 80% of all antimicrobials produced are used on livestock.
2009 Summary Report on Antimicrobials Sold or Distributed for Use in Food-Producing Animals. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2010.
Elderly people given milk as children have triple the risk of colorectal cancer.
Childhood dairy intake and adult cancer risk: 65-y follow-up of the boyd orr cohort. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 86(6:1722, 2007.
All types of meat (no matter how it is cooked) increases cancer of the uterus.
Animal food intake and cooking methods in relation to endometrial cancer risk in shanghai. Br. J. Cancer, 95(11:15861592, 2006.
Only purines (meats and fructose) increases uric acid levels in our bodies.
Uric acid increases gout, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease.
The role of uric acid as an endogenous danger signal in immunity and inflammation. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2011 Apr;13(2:160-6.
PhIP (a type of heterocyclic amines carcinogen) in cooked meat stimulates breast cancer cells to invade healthy cells more so than the hormone estrogen itself, even when PhIP is at low concentrations. PhIP also damages DNA and activates estrogen receptors on breast cancer cells.
PhIP has been found in mother’s breast milk. Meaning PhIP from cooked meat does make its way to the breast tissues.
The cooked food derived carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b] pyridine is a potent oestrogen: A mechanistic basis for its tissue-specific carcinogenicity. Carcinogenesis 2004 25(12:2509 – 2517
The cooked meat-derived mammary carcinogen 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-bpyridine promotes invasive behavior of breast cancer cells. Toxicology 2011 279(1 – 3:139 – 145
Meat fumes from cooking may be hazardous for fetal development and increase the risk of cancer.
Simply being around the vapors (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons or PAHs) was associated with a birth weight decrease and head shrinkage.
Impact of barbecued meat consumed in pregnancy on birth outcomes accounting for personal prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons: Birth cohort study in Poland. Nutrition. 2012 Apr;28(4:372-7.
A diet high in protein, particularly animal protein, has been associated with relapse of inflammatory bowel disease and a higher risk of inflammatory bowel disease.
Diet and risk of inflammatory bowel disease. Dig Liver Dis 2012 44(3:185 – 194
Microparticles of titanium dioxide and aluminum silicate, common additives in pastries and processed foods cause an inflammatory response in the gut wall 6x greater compared to endotoxins alone.
Most people are digesting a trillion particles of titanium dioxide a day. Researchers found these microparticles in all 18 diseased colons used for a study. No microparticles were found in the healthy colons studied. Titanium dioxide is used to make things white. Thus white powdered donuts tend to have the most titanium dioxide.
Immune potentiation of ultrafine dietary particles in normal subjects and patients with inflammatory bowel disease. J. Autoimmun. 2000 14(1:99 – 105
Meat consumption linked to premature puberty in boys and girls.
Internal exposure to pollutants and sexual maturation in Flemish adolescents. J Expo Sci Environ Epidemiol 2011 21(3:224 – 233
After consuming animal products human adiponectin levels drop. Hormone adiponectin appears to be protective against cellulite.
Adiponectin expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue is reduced in women with cellulite. Int. J. Dermatol. 2011 50(4:412 – 416
Meal modulation of circulating interleukin 18 and adiponectin concentrations in healthy subjects and in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2003 78(6:1135 – 1140
Animal consumption linked to breast pain.
Prolactin has been shown to cause breast pain. When vegans and vegetarians in South Africa (who have lower levels of prolactin and breast pain compared to women in western civilization) were fed meat, their prolactin levels went up to match western women. Two separate studies showed significant reduction in cyclical breast pain when meat was removed from the diet.
Diet, lifestyle, and menstrual activity. Am J Clin Nutr. 1980 Jun;33(6:1192-8.
Diet and prolactin release. Lancet. 1976 Oct 9;2(7989:806-7.
Serum prolactin and oestradiol levels in women with cyclical mastalgia. Horm Metab Res. 1981 Dec;13(12:700-2.
Amino acid L-carnitine (found heavily in red meat and popular energy drinks) has been found to cause heart disease.
While our bodies can produce L-carnitine, it causes our gut bacteria to produce a toxic substance called trimethylamine oxide (TMAO). TMAO also appears to be linked to cancer.
Intestinal microbiota metabolism of l-carnitine, a nutrient in red meat, promotes atherosclerosis. Nat Med. 2013 Apr 7.
Chickens consumption and handling linked to bladder infections.
When handling frozen chicken, urinary tract infection causing bacteria end up in that person’s rectum–even when the chicken is well cooked–because the transfer happens before it is cooked. The strains are usually antibacterial resistant.
Chicken as reservoir for extraintestinal pathogenic Escherichia coli in humans, Canada. Emerging Infect. Dis. 2012 18(3:415 – 421
Thorough cleaning with bleach after every use significantly reduces chicken pathogens in kitchens, pathogens were still detectable on some kitchen items.
All items were washed in beach. Washcloth was soaked in bleach. Bleach was allowed to sit on surfaces for 5 minutes before test results were taken. Pathogens were still found on utensils, counters, and washcloth.
The effectiveness of hygiene procedures for prevention of cross-contamination from chicken carcases in the domestic kitchen. Lett. Appl. Microbiol. 1999 29(5:354 – 358
A 5% increase of calories from saturated fat (at the expense of calories from carbohydrates can result in a 38% lower sperm count.
Dietary fat and semen quality among men attending a fertility clinic. Hum. Reprod. 2012 27(5:1466 – 1474
Xenoestrogens (human made chemicals with estrogenic effects) have been found the most in fish.
Role of environmental estrogens in the deterioration of male factor fertility. Fertil Steril. 2002 Dec;78(6:1187-94.
Fish eaters have been shown to have only a fraction of the sperm count of vegans.
Role of environmental estrogens in the deterioration of male factor fertility. Fertil Steril. 2002 Dec;78(6:1187-94.
The American Heart Association took legal action through the FDA (which was upheld by the Supreme Court) to have the egg industry stop promoting eggs as having no harmful effects on your health.
Dietary cholesterol, serum cholesterol, and risks of cardiovascular and noncardiovascular diseases. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 1998 67(3:488 – 492
Meat handlers have a much high mortality rate of cancer.
Cancer mortality in workers employed in cattle, pigs, and sheep slaughtering and processing plants. Environ Int 2011 37(5:950 – 959.
Growing up on animal farms increases the chance of blood cancers.
Growing up on farms only growing crops showed no increased chance of blood cancers.
Farming, growing up on a farm, and haematological cancer mortality. Occup Environ Med 2012 69(2:126 – 132.
Eating meat may cause cellular cannibalism thus explaining autoimmune attack (rheumatoid arthritis).
Auto-immune polyradiculoneuropathy has never been found to be caused by plant consumption.
Meat-induced joint attacks, or meat attacks the joint: rheumatism versus allergy. Nutr Clin Pract. 2010 Feb;25(1:90-1.
Auto-immune polyradiculoneuropathy and a novel IgG biomarker in workers exposed to aerosolized porcine brain. J. Peripher. Nerv. Syst. 2011 16 (Suppl 1:34 – 37
Methionine (an amino acid) is required for many cancers and tumors to stay alive and grow. Methionine is virtually only found in animal products.
The effect of replacement of methionine by homocystine on survival of malignant and normal adult mammalian cells in culture. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 1974 71(4:1133 – 1136.
Meat is acidic which causes higher risk of kidney stones and lower urine acid clearance.
Diet-induced metabolic acidosis. Clin Nutr 2011 30(4:416 – 421.
Choline, a substance very high in eggs, can cause trimethylamine (the smell of rotten fish to your breath, urine, sweat, and vagina).
Smelling like dead fish: A case of trimethylaminuria in an adolescent. Clin Pediatr (Phila 2006 45(9:864 – 866.
Choline is converted to TMAO which is linked to heart disease and cancer.
Intestinal microbiota metabolism of l-carnitine, a nutrient in red meat, promotes atherosclerosis. Nat Med. 2013 Apr 7.
Choline is associated with prostate cancer progression and death.
Choline intake and risk of lethal prostate cancer: Incidence and survival. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2012 96(4:855 – 863.
Pork tapeworm brain infection (neurocysticercosis ) is the most common parasitic disease in the brain for people and is on the rise in the United States.
Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of neurocysticercosis. Curr Neurol Neurosci Rep 2011 11(6:529 – 535.
Meat eaters have a lower resting metabolism compared to vegans and vegetarians.
Sympathetic nervous system activity and resting metabolic rate in vegetarians. Metab. Clin. Exp. 1994 43(5:621 – 625.
Phosphorus preservatives are being injected into meat. These phosphorus preservatives may damage blood vessels, accelerate the aging process, and contribute to osteoporosis.
Higher phosphate levels are associated with significantly lower life span.
Phosphate additives in food–a health risk. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2012 109(4:49 – 55.
The prevalence of phosphorus-containing food additives in top-selling foods in grocery stores. J Ren Nutr. 2013 23(4:265-270.
Phosphorus preservatives injected into poultry dramatically increase the growth of food poisoning Campylobacter bacteria.
Effects of polyphosphate additives on Campylobacter survival in processed chicken exudates. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 2010 76(8:2419 – 2424
Chicken nuggets from 2 national food chains found actual chicken meat was not the predominant ingredient–fat was found in greater quantities along with epithelium, bone, nerve (brain and spine) and connective tissue.
The autopsy of chicken nuggets reads chicken little. Am J Med. 2013 126(11:1018-1019.
Even when looking at endurance athletes, meat eaters’ arteries are thicker (from atherosclerosis plaque) than your average vegan.
Homocysteine, circulating vascular cell adhesion molecule and carotid atherosclerosis in postmenopausal vegetarian women and omnivores. Atherosclerosis 2006 184(2:356 – 362.
Long-term low-calorie low-protein vegan diet and endurance exercise are associated with low cardiometabolic risk. Rejuvenation Res. 2007 10(2:225 – 234.
Mercury and PCB exposure from fish shown to harm fetus brain development.
Functional MRI approach to developmental methylmercury and polychlorinated biphenyl neurotoxicity. Neurotoxicology 2011 32(6:975 – 980.
Mercury in fish shown to outweigh benefits of omega-3s when it comes to brain development.
Fish consumption during child bearing age: a quantitative risk-benefit analysis on neurodevelopment. Food Chem Toxicol. 2013 54:30-34.
Due to mercury “sticking” to our bodies, women planning on getting pregnant need to avoid mercury-containing foods for a year before getting pregnant.
Fish consumption during child bearing age: A quantitative risk-benefit analysis on neurodevelopment. Food Chem. Toxicol. 2013 54(NA:30 – 34.
Pregnant women eating fish once a week give their infants more mercury than if they were injected with six mercury containing vaccines.
Speciation of methyl- and ethyl-mercury in hair of breastfed infants acutely exposed to thimerosal-containing vaccines. Clin. Chim. Acta. 2011 412(17 – 18:1563 – 1566.
Some chemicals (dioxins, PCB, and DDE) found in fish have half lives as high as 10 years.
A 10-year half-life means after 10 years only half of those chemicals are gone, so it would take a lifetime to get even close to 1 percent of your present levels.
Elimination half-lives of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in children. Environ. Sci. Technol. 2008 42(18:6991 – 6996.
Gestational diabetes (diabetes during pregnancy) which causes abnormal fetal growth, birth defects, and infant mortality risk, is increased when meat is consumed before pregnancy.
A prospective study of dietary patterns, meat intake and the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus. Diabetologia. 2006 49(11:2604 – 2613.
Risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in relation to maternal egg and cholesterol intake. Am. J. Epidemiol. 2011 173(6:649 – 658.
Cow’s milk contains estrogen and other hormones which promote the conversion of precancerous cell to invasive cancer and enhance the progression of cancer cells.
Organic milk was used in this study.
Milk stimulates growth of prostate cancer cells in culture. Nutr Cancer. 2011 63(8:1361 – 1366.
Milk consumption is a risk factor for prostate cancer.
Milk consumption is a risk factor for prostate cancer: Meta-analysis of case-control studies. Nutr Cancer. 2004 48(1:22 – 27.
Milk consumption is a risk factor for prostate cancer in Western countries: Evidence from cohort studies. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2007 16(3:467 – 476.
“Meat glue” enzyme, transglutaminase, has potential food safety and allergy implications.
Transglutaminase, gluten and celiac disease: Food for thought. Nat. Med. 1997 3(7:725 – 726. Escherichia coli O157: H7 risk assessment for production and cooking of restructured beef steaks. Report of progress (Kansas State University. Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service; 873 2010.
Study found 70% of chicken breasts purchased for the study contained a cancer-causing form of arsenic beyond the safety thresholds of the FDA.
Roxarsone, inorganic arsenic, and other arsenic species in chicken: A U.S.-Based market basket sample. Environ Health Perspect. 2013 121(7:818 – 824.
Amino acid leucine has the greatest effect on increasing mTORC1 (believed to accelerate the aging process). Meat products have the most leucine.
Calorie restriction is known to down-regulate mTORC1. However, protein restriction, especially the amino acid leucine, has been found to be just as effective.
Amino acid sensing and regulation of mTORC1. Semin Cell Dev Biol. 2012 23(6:621 – 625.
Nutrient control of TORC1, a cell-cycle regulator. Trends Cell Biol. 2009 19(6:260 – 267.

Acknowledgements

My thanks to Dr. Michael Greger and Mark Insight for much of this information. I recommend subscribing to Dr. Greger’s extensive and informative YouTube channel where he posts amazing new videos virtually every day. Original scientific references above from http://badassu.net.

* Links for the abstract of a study may or may not contain the supporting evidence found in the study itself. The notes section may or may not be supported by the links provided. I am not a medical professional. This article is for educational purposes only and should not be used in any other way. This article is not intended to substitute for informed medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider.

Also see:

The Diet of Prehistoric Man

Fresh, Raw Leafy Greens Protect Your Mind, Heart, Bones, Eyes & Skin

Matthew Monarch

October 9, 2016

Fresh, Raw Leafy Greens Protect Your Mind, Heart, Bones, Eyes & Skin

Fresh, raw leafy greens are one of the most important foods to eat on a daily basis! Whether you enjoy your greens juiced, in a smoothie, a salad, and entrée or even in a dessert, adding as many of these to your diet will greatly impact and improve your health. If you’re not eating greens on a daily basis, I hope this article will encourage everyone to buy, grow, and eat lots of these powerhouse vegetables.

Leafy greens keep your mind young and sharp!

Most recently, Rush University Medical Center published a study reporting that eating just one to two servings of greens per day can protect against memory decline that is associated with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. The study found that just one to two servings a day provided the person with a cognitive ability 11 years younger! Greens have high amounts of Vitamin K, lutein, beta-carotene and folate that work together to keep the mind sharp! (1)

University of Southern California completed research this year that shows that the lutein found in leafy greens can also protect your heart! The study examined 480 men who had no current diagnosis of heart disease and examined their arteries! The study notice that those with less lutein had more thickening of the arteries. Thickening of the arteries is one of the beginning stages of atherosclerosis. (2)

A 2010 study found in the British Medical Journal completed a study involving over 22,000 participants. They found that those who ate lots of leafy greens were less likely to develop type II diabetes! The study reports that an increase of 1.15 servings per day may decrease your riskof type II diabetes by 14 percent! (3)

Leafy greens are also a great way to protect your bones! We now know that it’s not just calcium that protects our bones, but a mixture of calcium, Vitamin K, Vitamin D,potassium and magnesium. Leafy greens are a perfect food to help protect your bones and body from arthritis! Kale gives you 550 micrograms of Vitamin K, this is over 680 percent of our daily needs! Leafy greens are not only a good source of Vitamin K but they also provide calcium, potassium and magnesium! (4,5)

Leafy greens protect your bones, eyes, and heart!

A 2006 study reported that those who ate leafy greens may help protect their eyesight! Spinach in particular is abundant in antioxidants and vitamins. Spinach is a good source of lutein and zeaxanathin. These two antioxidants were found to produce a substance that protects the eyes from macular degeneration! (6)

A study published in Nutrition Research compared collard greens with prescription drug Cholestyramine and found that collard greens improved the body’s ability to block cholesterol by 13 percent more than the drug! Romaine lettuce carries high amounts of folic acid and has been found to boost sperm counts and improve fertility!

A Nurses Health Study reported that women who eat one serving of leafy lettuce daily cut their risk of hip fracture by 30 percent! (7)

Eat a variety of greens to get a variety of protection!

Wanting to lose weight or control emotional eating? Spinach contains thylakoids which are shown to help suppress appetite. A long term study from Sweden showed that people who consumed a drink high in thylakoids for breakfast significantly reduced cravings and experienced weight loss. (7)

One cup of beet greens has five grams of fiber! Fiber has been shown to decrease risk of cardiovascular disease! University of Leeds published a study reporting that our risk of cardiovascular disease was significantly lowered for every 7grams of fiber consumed! (7)

Last but not least, do you want youthful, glowing skin? If so, eat lots of watercress! This green contains four times more beta carotene than an apple and 238 percent of your daily recommended Vitamin K dose. These two compounds keep your skin youthful! Not only does it help your skin but watercress is also the richest dietary source of phenylethyl isoiocyanate which helps fight cancer! (7)

A quick way to boost your greens is to juice them! Blending your favorite greens with fruit or carrots will help decrease the bitterness that some greens can provide. Throwing them in a smoothie provides the benefits without missing out on the fiber. A berry smoothie with a handful of your favorite green is a quick way to boost your daily antioxidant levels and will help start your day out on the right foot! However you choose, increasing your greens may provide you a higher quality of life and increased wellness.

Guest Editor: Matt Monarch
Proprietor, The Raw Food World, April 2015

References:

(1) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150330112227.htm

(2) http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=117385

(3) http://healthland.time.com/2010/08/20/leafy-greens-cut-diabetes-risk/

(4) https://www.drfuhrman.com/disease/Osteoporosis.aspx

(5) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270435.php

(6) http://www.livescience.com/1021-scientists-eye-benefits-spinach.html

(7) http://www.eatthis.com/10-superfoods-healthier-than-kale

Also Read:

A Diet Rich in Berries Protects Against Cancer, Heart Disease & Alzheimer’s!

My Love Affair with Food by Denise Gerard, Raw Food Chef

Denise Girard

October 9, 2016

My Love Affair with Food by Denise Gerard, Raw Food Chef

I have the privilege to have been invited by my dear friend Robert to be the Raw Food Chef & Holistic Health Coach for his awesome website, RawFoodLife.com. I am here to serve you with recipes and articles I hope will inspire you to create a dynamic, balanced and healthy raw food lifestyle. My training taught me to respect and address the bio-individuality of each person. I look forward to hearing from you! I believe my articles will help you understand how I came to appreciate, and moreover, revere the power of whole food in my own life. I am sure that if you have landed here you too are seeking to understand this fundamental need and birth right — to eat and enjoy unadulterated whole raw foods! –– Raw Chef Denise

My love affair with food began growing up in a large Italian family. Every night around the dinner table there was a wonderful sense of contentment! Delicious food and animated conversation nourished us on many levels. It was a time of innocence when “delicious” was the only criteria by which to consider food. My mother always prepared a balanced meal — meat, two vegetables, a starch and a salad. Our chickens were purchased alive and freshly killed by my grandfather. The produce was fresh from the 9th St. market in Philadelphia. The cold pressed olive oil came in great gallon containers from Italy.

On day things changed — the food changed. But nobody noticed. The oil was an insipid blend with no flavor. The butcher closed. Tubs of margarine appeared. Vegetables were frozen or in a can and everything came from a big corporate supermarket. The wonderful conveniences of modern living arrived – or NOT! Because what happened next is that my body also changed — all our bodies changed! My once delightful family meals suddenly caused unbearable stomach aches! As a child and I had no idea what was happening nor did my parents. All that I knew was that I was becoming ill. Eczema flared in my ears, I got my first flu.

All I wanted to eat was the romaine salad at the end of the meal. It felt fresh and easy on my body. Then in my early 20’s, I woke up looking like ET one morning – my eyes were creased and crinkled. My skin was flaking. All of my body felt wrong! I went to see a doctor, who sent me to a specialist and he sent me to another who sent me to yet another. I was seeing five specialists, who each gave me a different pill. With each passing day, I felt worse!

One day I found myself standing in front of a health food store. I went inside and wandered around, praying to understand what was happening to me. What happened next changed my life forever and led me to not only become a world class chef but to specialize in Raw Food. After wandering around the health food store for some time, the shop owner finally addressed me. I lifted my sunglasses and blurted my story. With great compassion, she suggested a holistic medical doctor. Out of desperation, I made the appointment. When I entered the office of Dr. Francesco Borella we began a two hour conversation. No doctor had ever spent that amount of time with me! At the end of the session he scheduled a series of tests, asked me to stop taking all the medications and handed me a recipe…a recipe?

Dr. Borella gave me a recipe instead of a prescription! Think about that with what we know today. The next morning I prepared Crème Budwig (recipe on right). It is a recipe created by Dr. Johanna Budwig, a German doctor and biochemist with a few more impressive university degrees. Whatever illness walked into her office, she always prescribed Crème Budwig.

On the fourth day I began to feel my brain fog lift. Then it continued to get better every day. When I went back to see the doctor my mind was clear! Under Dr. Borella’s care, I once again became the vibrant, energetic person that I had been before. He taught me that my best health insurance policy was to eat the best quality, organic, unprocessed foods, cold pressed flax and olive oils which had never seen the light of day in their extraction and a mostly raw vegetarian diet.

Whole raw foods nourish, cleanse, build a strong immune system and create a clear thinking, quick mind with a deep sense of peace and satisfaction. But the best thing is they actually taste better. I discovered that organic, whole, raw foods are not only packed with more nutrients, they’re packed with more flavor! As you begin to clear your mind and detox your body, something else amazing happens – you begin to clear your palate and discover all the amazing flavors associated with nutrient dense, organic live food!

So after a lifetime of enjoying whole, live foods I discovered that you cannot truly love food that has been cooked, processed, denatured and killed. If you feel you cannot live without bread, pasta, candy, ice cream, barbecue or whatever, that is not due to a true love of food – that is a food addiction! After decades of eating dead food your body has adapted chemically, down to the cellular level, to miraculously survive on dead food. Now you need it because changing the biochemistry at the cellular level requires months or years of detox — but like everything else in life, you cannot truly love something you need!

I became chef because I truly love great food. I am a raw chef because truly great food MUST be raw. To fully appreciate the intense, alive taste of real food it has to be a raw, whole, organic, live and unprocessed as possible! Of course, I’m not perfect, but I accept that when I have to eat some childhood comfort food that I am satisfying and nurturing some other part of my Self which is also important. But it is the whole, live, raw foods that are my one true love!

Raw Chef Denise formally trained with Chef Christophe, Rest. Bugnaux, Lake Geneva, Switzerland. Specializes on raw food, food as art and the spiritual, healing and medicinal attributes of food. Graduate of Inst. of Integrative Nutrition as a Holistic Health Coach. Executive Chef Experience includes Raw Kitchen (W. Palm Beach, FL), The Office (Delray Beach, FL), Le Rescatore. (Jupiter Island, FL), Casimir Bistro & Howard’s Market (Boca Raton, FL).

Raw Chef Denise’s Recipe for Crème Budwig

This month I am sharing the recipe for Crème Budwig created by Dr. Johanna Budwig. She was a German medical doctor and bio-chemist who came to the conclusion that the majority of chronic illnesses are caused by mass produced foods and oils, poor nutrition and pesticides which destroy our electrons. Through her research, she determined that combining a high quality protein with high quality Omega 3 fatty acids, such as flax seed oil, makes the fats water soluble. This allows the essential fatty acids to reach far deeper on the cellular level. This in turn allows the electrons to receive and interact with the sun energy which allows a reactivation of vital functions.

What is very interesting is that the latest research on vitamin D. Though it is fat soluble when ingested through the mouth, Vitamin D is actually water soluble, when we get it through direct exposure to the sun! It becomes D-Sulphate and in this form reaches deep into our cellular level. So, the fatty acids clean up the cells and the vitamin D appears to fortify proper cellular function. I marvel at the visionary research and wisdom of Dr. Budwig! And I promise you, if done properly, you will noticeably feel the effects rather quickly of this luscious breakfast.

CRÈME BUDWIG

Ingredients for one serving:
– Juice of ½ of a lemon
– 2 tbs. raw yogurt or almond milk
– 2 tbs. cold pressed flax seed oil
– 1 ripe banana
– 2 tbs. sprouted grain (just one grain, like quinoa)
– 10 soaked almonds
– 1 apple or pear diced
– 1 tbs. sesame seeds
– 1 tbs. sunflower seeds

Soak almonds, sprout grains. Mash the banana and mix it with the first 3 ingredients into a cream. Add all the other ingredients. It can be sweetened with a touch of maple syrup.

RAW ALMOND MILK RECIPE

Ingredients:

– 1 cup raw almonds
– Pure water for soaking
– 3 cups pure water
– 2 dates (optional)
– 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

Soak almonds in water overnight (at least 6 hrs.). Drain water & rinse almonds with more purified water. Discard used water. Blend 3 cups of water, almonds and dates until well blended and almost smooth. Strain the blended almond mixture using a cheesecloth or other strainer. Homemade raw almond milk will keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

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