Good Afternoon, subscribers,
Following this greeting is the June newsletter article. For those of you who are new subscribers, this single article format began this year to make it more convenient for you to read the information I consider most important, and allow me to continue providing you with Healthier Solutions at no cost to you. Please continue to visit my website, www.healthiersolutionsbymarie.com to see the ongoing updates and take advantage of the great deals that I offer you through my affiliate links, and the dozens of informational articles (especially on the newsletter link page) available there for you.
This month, my article focuses on Raw & Living Foods - what they are and what they can do for you. This past spring, I introduced R&L foods to one of my Bona Dea groups. We discussed the advantages and benefits of eating more raw food, and had a cooking class dedicated to learning some of the basic techniques used to make a variety of recipes. I have added one of our most popular recipes at the end of this article. For your information, know that scientific evidence shows that a meal that consists of at least 51% raw food is significantly beneficial to you. Incorporating as much raw and living food into your daily diet can have many long term benefits, and summer is the ideal time of year to start doing this. There are many books and websites dedicated to this type of diet. As always, I urge moderation in all things, and caution & common sense when researching something like this.
A shorter version of this article will appear in my Kingsport Times-News Health & Wellness Magazine column, so please encourage your friends and family to watch for it. I hope you are having a beautiful summer so far, and that you are finding time to squeeze in some quality rest and recharging.
Marie
 

Raw and Living Foods 101

As Americans see their health plummeting and health care costs skyrocketing, they are finally realizing that healthier food and lifestyles may be the solution. One trend is that of raw and living (R&L) foods, and the benefits of this kind of diet make it worth learning about. I find it fascinating that raw and living food lifestyles are considered to be radical and new age. In fact, these are the very foods that have nourished the human race since the beginning of time! It is only in the last century that we have moved nearly totally away from consuming a significant proportion of our food in a raw or living state. Up front here, I need to clarify that I believe raw foods should make up approximately 55-85% of the diet, and not 100%.
There are differences between raw and living foods, though many people consider the two terms interchangeable. Many raw foods are also living foods, but not all living foods are raw.
Raw foods are never heated above 105 to 118 degrees F(depending on the food) to preserve the integrity of enzymes and nutrients. Live foods are cultured, soaked, sprouted, pickled, or otherwise stimulated to initiate some type of actual living growth. Vegetarianism is common among R&L food enthusiasts because most animal products are difficult to eat in a totally raw state.
Think of foods like butter & yogurt, pickled herring & smoked salmon, sauerkraut & pickles, smoked ham, beef jerky, vinegar, cider, beer, & wine. These were all traditional raw and/or living foods, and while their health benefits were often appreciated, I doubt many of the diners noted that they were eating raw or living foods.
Most of the above, by the way, are examples of living foods because they have been cultured or fermented. Dried fruits like raisins, apples, and apricots, or fresh fruits, vegetables, and nuts would be considered raw foods, as would sashimi (sushi). The Latin American dish, ceviche, which is raw fish marinated in lime juice with raw onion, cilantro and other herbs is an example of a food that is both raw and living, due to the continued action of the enzymes on the raw ingredients.
Dr. Weston Price, a dentist whose research travels in the 1930’s continue to influence nutritionists today, studied and wrote about the consumption of whole foods in primitive societies. In his Characteristics of Traditional Diets, he noted that even the most primitive societies used fire to cook some of the foods they ate. All societies also used a variety of methods to alter or preserve their food, including dehydration, fermentation, and salting.
Those societies learned that certain greens, legumes, tubers, and roots had to be boiled in order to make them both palatable and edible. Toxins had to be boiled out, while substances such as oxalic acid and phytates had to be neutralized in order to allow the bioavailability of the nutrients contained within the foods. In some cases, it was understood that fermentation or sprouting could transform inedible foods into not just acceptable versions, but ones that were highly nutritious, even when the period of fermentation was followed by cooking.
One thing traditional societies had in common was their high consumption of raw foods, although the Inuit (Eskimo means “he eats it raw”) were probably the most “raw” food eaters in the world. With virtually no fuel for fire, they consumed most of their animal products, including meat, fat, blood, and organ meats, within minutes or hours of the animal’s demise. This provided them with nutrients like vitamin C, D, and A which might not ordinarily be available to them and which would have been damaged by heat and cooking.
This brings us to another point. We are the only species that cooks its food. In the early days of zoo keeping, the high mortality rate of zoo animals was mainly attributed to environmental factors like temperature and habitat. It took some time for the realization to sink in that these animals were starving to death on the cooked kibbles and foods being provided to them. (Sound familiar?) Once the animals’ original raw diets were understood and reintroduced, there was a tremendous change in health and longevity. Even domestic pets like cats, dogs, and rabbits do better on raw food diets, and this is a growing trend in the pet food industry. I have several clients who have switched their pets to raw diets and seen dramatic benefits within a very short time. Raw food based supplements are also superior and effective.
The Enzyme Connection
At the heart of the movement toward R&L foods is the understanding that cooking destroys precious enzymes, as well as other nutrients. (Many cultures believe the energy of fresh R&L food benefits body and soul, and that cooked or leftover food is harmful.)  While our bodies produce many enzymes, most experts agree that the enzymes present in food are crucial to our health, especially as we age and produce fewer natural enzymes. Enzymes are directly or indirectly responsible for every single function of life in the body.
Temperatures above 105 to 118 degrees F destroy enzymes. So cooking destroys them. And, in its zeal to protect us from germs and extend the shelf life of food products, the food industry has virtually eliminated enzymes in foods through pasteurization and sterilization.
This means that our bodies must make up for all those lost enzymes. There is ample evidence to suggest that our pancreas and other enzyme producing mechanisms are becoming overwhelmed and exhausted trying to do this at younger and younger ages.  The simple and inevitable act of getting older results in decreases in enzyme production, so this is when we really need the benefits of enzyme-rich live foods.  Numerous animal, insect, and human studies have confirmed that there is a direct correlation between your health/age and your enzyme levels. If you are 80 but have the enzyme levels of someone who is 40, your health and energy will be closer to that of the 40 year old!
Digestive enzymes include protease (proteins), amylase (carbohydrates), and lipase (fats). Metabolic enzymes direct the digestive enzymes and body function enzymes.
According to Dr. Edward Howell, an enzyme expert, “The length of life is inversely proportional to the rate of exhaustion of the enzyme potential of an organism.”
Raw foods contain the appropriate enzymes required for digestion, relieving the body of the need to produce them. Digestive system conditions may be resolved by eating R&L foods. For example, most lactose intolerant individuals do well with raw milk because of the lactase it naturally contains.
Enzyme replacement supplements are not an effective solution for most people.
What are some other benefits of R&L foods?
Prolonged heat destroys vitamins. Numerous studies have looked at how heat and cooking (including microwaving) may affect vitamins in food. The conclusions generally show that the higher the heat and the more prolonged the heating time, the more vitamins are destroyed. Many factors affect vitamin loss, including pH (acidic vitamins do best in acidic environments), food density, temperature intensity, food freshness, and so forth. Generally speaking, vitamins are likely to be best conserved at temperatures below 150 degrees.
Phytonutrients are also temperature sensitive, possibly in the 120-130 degree range. These are the biologically active color, aroma, and flavor micronutrients that are highly valued for their antioxidant properties. There are known exceptions, of course, in that heating can increase the bioavailability of some phytonutrients such as lycopene.
Minerals are probably the least temperature sensitive of all nutrients. In most cases, heat or fermentation may actually be required to neutralize inhibitors and promote the absorption of minerals. Properly soaking, sprouting, or culturing foods permits bioavailability of minerals.
The pH state: The fruits, vegetables, and nuts that predominate in the R&L food diet increase the move toward an alkaline pH in the body, which is believed to promote better health.
Probiotics are crucial to health and are found in abundance in living foods. Many substances in raw foods provide prebiotics, or food, for the friendly bacteria. The populations of probiotics that inhabit your body can affect your mental clarity, digestive function, skin health, and nutritional status, since several probiotics are critical to vitamin manufacture in the gut.
Weight management effects: Every R&L food expert will tell you that cooked calories and raw calories are not treated the same by the body. High raw food intake correlates with healthy weight. It is not clear whether this has to do with sugar and fat uptake and storage, quicker transit time through the system, or the lack of processed flours and sugars. One factor that has been observed is that lipase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down lipids (fats), and which is abundantly present in raw butter, milk, and other animal fats, is not present in the animal products we commonly now consume. Lipase has either been destroyed during processing, or we destroy it when we cook our foods. Obese individuals have been found to be critically deficient in lipase.
Anti-inflammatory effect: An R&L food diet is an anti-inflammatory diet. Since I agree with the experts who believe that inflammation is at the root of our most common diseases including cancer and heart disease, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of reducing inflammation. Persons with arthritis, fibromyalgia, and lupus, for example, often see major improvements in their conditions by switching to a mostly R&L diet.
Immune system effects: R&L food boosts the immune system in a number of ways. Consider this study excerpt:
“Uncooked food is an integral component of human nutrition, and is a necessary precondition for an intact immune system. Its therapeutic effect is complex, and a variety of influences of raw food and its constituents on the immune system have been documented. Such effects include antibiotic, antiallergic, tumor-protective, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory actions. In view of this, uncooked food can be seen as a useful adjunct to drugs in the treatment of allergic, rheumatic and infectious diseases”.(Raw food and immunity. Fortschr Med. 1990 Jun 10;108(17):338-40)
Beautiful skin is a trademark of raw foodists. This is partially due to the high water content of the fruits and vegetables that make up the bulk of the raw food diet. Dried kibble causes dogs to be in a chronic state of dehydration. The Standard American Diet (SAD) has the same effect on us, and even mild dehydration causes problems like headache and fatigue.
A well rounded R&L diet can supply most of the nutrients needed for optimal health. One exception is vitamin B12, poorly available from plant based foods, so supplementation is considered essential for non-meat eaters. Care needs to be taken with other nutrients such as vitamin D, as well.
If you decide to go raw, be sure to educate yourself or seek the guidance of an experienced nutritionist to make sure you are getting everything you need. Food preparation methods can be critical to assuring bioavailability of all nutrients. Traditional rules should not be ignored, as there are usually important reasons for certain steps. Remember, the original R&L foods are centuries old!
You should also know that techniques like dehydrating can concentrate toxins, so make organics part of the raw food lifestyle, please! Most raw foodists insist on the purest and freshest food possible.
Understanding the benefits of raw and living foods has led me to add more of them to my diet, and this is the perfect time of year for it. I hope you consider doing the same!
 
FYI: After examining many R&L food books, I have found The Raw 50 by Carol Alt to be a great “starter” book for good information and easy and tasty recipes.
 
Live Lasagna
I have to tell you that both experienced and novice raw foodies have confirmed that this is one of the best dishes they have ever tasted, so please give it a try! It is my final version of a combination of recipes I tried.
Note: This is a make ahead dish! Please read all the way through the day before you want to eat it for best results! The dish tastes better after melding flavors, and more importantly, nuts should always be soaked in pure water for 1-5 hours prior to consuming in order to neutralize the natural enzyme inhibitors they contain. Nuts can then be eaten, dried, or further processed in any way you like.
Noodles:
2 large but tender zucchinis or yellow squash (or one of each), thinly sliced lengthwise
1/2 tsp salt
Sprinkle veggie slices with salt on both sides and place in a baking dish or dehydrating or cooling racks for about an hour--their liquid will drain off. Rinse before using. Then, drizzle with olive oil and be sure all slices are coated.
 
Meanwhile prepare the “ricotta”:
1/2 C fresh basil 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper
3 C macadamia nuts 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Place the “ricotta” ingredients in a food processor and process for 20 seconds on low, adding up to 1 1/2 cups of water as needed to create a fluffy ricotta like consistency. Don’t over process.
 
Now prepare the sauce:
In a blender cup add:
2 1/2 C chopped tomatoes
 1/2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 C macadamia
1/4 C olive oil
1/4 C basil
6 TBS water
1 tsp each fresh oregano, rosemary, thyme
 
I also rehydrated a few dried tomato halves (while the salted squash was doing its thing) and added them in before pureeing. I used the soaking water in place of the plain water, and the result was delicious intense tomato flavor.
 
Blend on high until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
Add layers of zucchini or squash, then ricotta, and sauce.
Repeat and finish with a layer of zucchini and sauce.
 
Cover and refrigerate for 1-8 hours, or overnight, to give the dish time to set and flavors to meld. Garnish as desired with herbs. Bring to room temperature before eating, or to enjoy this raw dish warm, I heat it up using the dehydrate cycle of my small toaster oven. It takes about 30 minutes to bring the whole thing up to 105 degrees from room temp, but I find it well worth doing. I also add a sprinkle of raw milk parmesan cheese to finish this off, to heighten both flavor and appeal.