over and over, “I haven’t got a boyfriend, I haven’t got a boyfriend,” what’s the result? No boyfriend. If we replace that with, “I am attracting a beautiful loving nurturing relationship into my life,” result? Result. The skill is in maintaining that focus and intent when the spanner gets thrown into the works, when we have to deal with the stuff that we manifested for ourselves without realising pops its handsome head up. Every single food in this book gives us a boost to such a degree that we feel noticeably better about ourselves. When we feel better about ourselves, we take more forthright action, make clearer decisions. Challenges are more easily overcome, obstacles more easily dissolved. That’s Raw Magic in a nutshell; it’s a win-win-win situation. Your body, your health, your mind, your life, your family, your friends, your planet; everyone’s happier. It’s a simple concept, but it really does have the power to change the world. It’s time for us decide for ourselves that this is the future, and the future is now.
Photo by Nicolas Thorsen
I made the conscious decision to “become a raw fooder” in 1993, and I can say, hand on heart, that every year it keeps getting better. For sure, there are challenges that arise in my life: I uncover emotional issues I need to work on; I encounter situations in my life that I need to change to move forward; more problems occur that demand a clear sharp focus to resolve; physical detoxification and healing comes up. But month on month, I find myself with increased levels of vitality. The joy I feel just through existing on this beautiful planet bubbles up and up; the energy and enthusiasm I have for life surges through my veins. The positivity and passion I feel for making the world a better place just keeps growing, no matter the setbacks I encounter on the way. I am more able to keep a clear intention and understand the steps I must take to reach my chosen goals. Every time I reach a new level of awareness and understanding, another one opens up before me. This journey is infinite, and it just keeps getting more magical.
I see raw foods as an integral part of optimum health and vitality. When you are eating pure plant foods with all their energy and life force intact, you are assisting your body in tuning into its own wisdom which is aligned with that of the earth from which the plants have grown. One of the basic tenets of raw foods is to eat food as close to the source as possible, sunfoods. So we don’t generally eat animals and animal products, because the animals have gained their nourishment from the plants, and the plants are one step closer to receiving energy direct from the sun. Many of the superfoods grow in mountainous regions, e.g. maca, gojis—they are literally closer to the sun! Raw foods assist us in helping our bodies vibrate at the highest possible frequency; eating this way unlocks the potential within us to become more fully who we are.
Raw foods form the basis of a successful health program for a variety of reasons.
Enzymes
When we heat food above 42° C (118° F), the enzyme content is destroyed. Enzymes are necessary for almost every function in the body, especially digestion. As children, our bodies manufacture all the enzymes we need, but after adolescence we stop being able to make them ourselves and become dependent on food sources to get them. Enzymes are associated with aging; a diet high in enzymes promotes youthfulness and immortality! I consider them so important, I take extra enzyme supplementation with my raw food diet, which I find gives me even more energy and strengthens my immunity.
Nutritional Content
Nearly all foods have a higher nutritional content when eaten raw; heat destroys many vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. There are a few exceptions, such as lycopene, found in tomatoes and carrots. Lycopene can still be absorbed by the body if the cell walls have been broken down, by juicing for example.
Whole, Unprocessed
Generally, raw fooders eat foods that are less denatured. They are consuming less chemicals and artificial additives and preservatives with their foods. They are getting more fiber, and a higher water content.
Alkalinity
Thanks largely to the work of Dr. Robert O. Young, the public are becoming more widely aware of the benefits of a high alkaline diet. Most junk foods and heavily processed foods are acidic, causing a stress on the body which increases weight gain and decreases immunity. Ideally, the diet should be made up of at least 70% alkaline foods. A raw food diet high in vegetables easily satisfies this requirement. When our systems are alkalized, we feel calmer, can think more clearly, feel more on top of things, and have a stronger immune system.
Immune System
Cooked foods put a greater strain on the immune system than raw foods. When cooked foods are eaten, the body has an immune response known as leucocytosis. This does not occur when raw foods are eaten, although cooked foods can be eaten if they form less than 50% of the meal, and the raw foods are eaten first, in which case the body does not produce leucocytes. Generally, raw fooders find they are less prone to catching viruses than when they ate cooked foods, and when they do catch them, they tend to get them less severely and to shake them off faster.
Raw fooders tend to eat from four main food groups: vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, and sprouts (grains and pulses). From these foods, we can get all the requirements that conventional nutritionists state we need. To be successful, I believe a raw food diet should consist of at least 50% vegetables, the majority being green vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, rocket, broccoli, kale, celery, cucumber. The green leafy vegetables contain the most minerals and are also a surprisingly good source of protein. Juicing vegetables is an excellent way to up our daily intake. Fruit should be eaten minimally as a high fruit diet upsets blood sugar levels and can contribute to tooth decay. Try and eat local and seasonal fruit in preference to tropical fruits, which have lost a lot of their freshness and vitality as they have been shipped across the world. Nuts are a good source of protein but are generally acidic and mucus-forming. Soak nuts before using to activate enzyme inhibitors, and try and use seeds in preference. Seeds such as sesame, sunflower and pumpkin are highly nutritious, more easily digestible, and less acidic. Sprouted foods, like lentil, alfalfa, sunflower, wheat and buckwheat, are one of the best sources of nutrition because they are guaranteed fresh, raw, seasonal and locally grown! Sprouts have a superhigh nutritional content, and are cheap and easy to grow yourself.
My current thinking is that the ideal daily raw food diet should look something like this:
And a balanced mix from the following food groups:
