I wholeheartedly agree with the great majority of this book. I recommend buying it or borrowing it from your local library, as it is filled with valuable information, studies and anecdotes from real people that have achieved extraordinary results by eating a diet of mostly fruit. I consider it to be among the best health books on the market.
Here are just a few selected quotes:
Will eating raw make me healthy?
A proper raw diet will result in improved health, but I must emphasize that the body, not food, creates health. Food does not build; the body builds. Food does not cleanse; the body cleanses. Good health, after all, is the result of a healthy lifestyle.
The raw diet is but one component of healthful living. Adequate rest and sleep, regular, vigorous physical activity, plenty of fresh air, sunlight, a positive outlook on life, and many other factors are also essential to creating good health. (Page 239.)
“We propose that there is only one illness: toxemia, this is a condition of unclean blood and tissues, caused primarily by unchecked diet and lifestyle. Unchecked, toxemia and its attendant enervation (nervous exhaustion) get progressively worse over the years, leading to all manner of symptoms.” (Page 257.)
On Weight Loss
Dr. Graham tackles the popular issue of weight loss. When people switch to a diet that is exclusively raw, “the first dramatic change that people frequently notice is a rapid and dramatic loss of weight”. Since most Westerners are indeed overweight to begin with, most people are delighted with the change. Other folks see themselves getting too thin, and sometimes even mistakenly believe they are losing muscle.
“what actually happens…is that we lose so much of the padding (fat) around our muscles and also the fat marbled within our muscles. In addition, on a raw diet, we begin to lose the water that we once retained to dilute toxins. This water also added to the appearance of inflated muscles. Many people mistake this excess fat and water as part of their muscle.”
“No diet exists that results in muscle loss or muscle gain. If there were a diet that resulted in muscle gain, bodybuilders would be found in the kitchen instead of the gym. .. In spite of what we have all been told, consuming protein (or any other nutrient) will not assist the muscle-building process.” (page 148)
On page 156, Dr. Graham states that digestive, absorptive, or assimilative problems could contribute to unwanted weight loss in new raw fooders, yet he believes these to be the exception rather than the rule, and that these problems will quickly correct themselves when the person switches away from high-fat, cooked, processed and toxic foods unsuitable to our physiological design are moved from the diet. I can not argue with Graham’s extensive clinical experience, but I believe that digestive, absorptive, and assimilative problems are extremely common (although widely under-diagnosed) due to the cooking of food and the consumption of animal products.
If Dr. Graham mentions fasting in this book, then I missed it. It is understandable that Dr. Graham would not discuss fasting in a book on the opposite of fasting, eating. One of the main outcomes of a water fast is the elimination of intestinal plaque, which blocks the proper absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. Here is a video of Dr. Graham speaking on fasting to recover health:
(Dr. Graham discusses the benefits of fasting after 13 minutes.)
Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram is always a fountain of inspiration and encouragement for living a healthy lifestyle that features raw fruits and veggies. In this heartwarming video, Kristina shares her tips on becoming more conscious of everything that surrounds the your mealtime. She reminds us that the things we put into our body will be used to produce an entirely new body (in which nearly every cell is re-built) twice yearly!
Kristina’s first tip for conscious eating is consistent with my #1 for life in general: do it with love. Kristina says “Love your food so that it loves you back.”
Her second tip “meditate while eating” corresponds with my advice to meditate always, since meditation is really a synonym for observation. By observing every color, taste, texture and every other aspect of each bite more profoundly, we can enjoy our food more and reap more health benefits as compared to eating the same food with an agitated, superficial mind.
Finally, she advises us to become a conscious consumer. Kristina and I are in total agreement here, that we vote with our money… so we ought to invest wisely to support our health and a sustainable planet.
FullyRaw Kristina shares this extremely helpful recipe for those coffee lovers that are looking to cut out the caffeine to enjoy a more balanced energy level without the crashes or “lows”. Be aware that serious addicts will likely experience some withdrawal or detox symptoms such as headache and/or lethargy. But you will definitely recover, and you will feel lighter, fresher, and more liberated.
Tools needed:
Breville juicer
Vitamix or Blendtec blender
Coffee cup(s)
Ingredients:
1-2 cups of coconut water
5-10 pitted dates
¼ cup carob powder
a few fresh peppermint leaves
a small vanilla bean or a few drops of vanilla extract (without alcohol)
a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg
2 tablespoons of raw cacao
fresh almond milk (make your own with the following instructions)
Almond milk creamer:
Run 1 ½ cups of soaked raw almonds through a slow juicer (or blend with a Vitamix and strain with an almond milk bag). Run through juicer with water or if you want it to be sweeter, use coconut water instead.
You may already know how to make delicious vanilla ice cream using only frozen bananas and a few drops of vanilla. But here, Kristina raises the banana with a magnificent arrangement of three ice cream flavors, topped with gooey delicious fruit sauce and fresh cherries.
Ingredients:
5-10 ripe bananas, frozen overnight
One perfect banana for your banana split
the water of one young coconut
1 – 1 ½ fresh pitted dates
½ cup of sliced pitted cherries and 3 perfect cherries to put on top
1 cup sliced mango
1 cup blackberries
1 cup raspberries
¼ cup Carob powder
Toppings:
¼ diced mango bits and ¼ blended
¼ chopped raspberries and ¼ blended
¼ finely chopped blackberries and ¼ blended
Tools needed:
Vitamix or Blendtec blender
plate
ice-cream scoop
spatula
Instructions:
Blend the ice cream ingredients together as shown in the video, then blend the topping ingredients and pour over the ice cream. Sprinkle with more toppings!
Instructions: Juice the tomatoes, the red bell pepper, and a few stalks of celery. Strain several times until you are left with a tomato broth as a base. Pour your base into a large soup bowl, and sprinkle in the other chopped ingredients! Your soup is now ready, but if you can resist the temptation to eat it immediately, the soup will become even more flavorful by waiting about an hour for the broth to absorb the flavors of the other ingredients.
This can be a fully raw (cold) soup. If you want it warm, you can use the warm soup function of a Blendtec or a Vitamix blender, which warms the soup slowly (due to the friction of the blades). Although this method does not actually cook or boil the soup, it is possible that some of the nutrients could be destroyed during this process.
In this beautiful video, Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram will inspire you to love yourself, reward yourself, forgive yourself. Deep down, we all want to be healthy, but we must be understanding of our human flaws… if ever we give in to the temptation of unhealthy food, self-forgiveness and self-love is a much healthier response than feeling guilty, weak or broken. Here are some of Kristina’s suggestions for getting back to good health as quickly as possible:
Take responsibility: Others may have tempted you but ultimately your own decisions will lead you to either wellness or illness.
Make a list that includes your most profound reasons for wanting to get healthier.
Meditate on these innermost desires to bring back the spark that will ignite you into positive action
Surround yourself with inspiring people and find or create a supportive community
Have fun in the kitchen, making delicious recipes alone or with a loved one
Stay informed through articles, books and documentaries
Use the buddy system for getting healthy together
A supervised fast can clean out your system prior to returning to a healthy raw diet
Move your body for 30 minutes per day or more
Reward yourself with healthy food. Recognise that unhealthy food is more of a punishment than a reward.
Volunteer in your community. Giving feels great.
Be humble, gentle, understanding and patient with yourself
Make a plan for your meals and exercise
Inspire yourself frequently by leaving notes-to-self all over your home
GIVE THE LOVE YOU WANT TO RECEIVE
This is crucial, since it is the love that we give that nourishes us the most. Each of us came to this world to provide a service. When we give the service that we came to give, we are living our dream, and following our mission. When we follow our mission, our body, mind and spirit function as a team. We feel more balanced when we are more balanced.
A tiny plant will push its tiny leaves above ground to absorb some nourishing sunlight. But the plant does not exist to receive. Its mission is to give… perhaps a nourishing food or a potent medicine or a beautiful, colorful, fragrant flower. Find your mission and give that service to the world.
Using a sauna or a steambath is one of the healthiest habits that you could adopt on a daily or weekly basis. You may already associate the sauna and steambath with relaxation and luxury, as most high-end hotels, spas and health clubs include both a sauna and a steam room, yet most American homes do not. But after you consider all of the lesser-known, but equally-important health benefits of saunas and steambaths, you may find yourself visiting these gyms and spas more frequently, or you may decide to install a sauna or a steam bath in your home.
The following are just some of the health benefits that saunas and steambaths provide for the mind and body. Doctors and scientists confirm what the sauna enthusiasts of other countries such as Finland and Russia have known for many centuries:
The sauna or steambath will improve your overall health and sense of well-being
The sauna or steambath will bring more oxygen to your cells
The sauna or steambath will relax your sore and tired muscles
The sauna or steambath will reduce pain such as lower back pain
You will lose weight due to the calories burned in perspiration
Using a sauna or a steambath will reduce the number of colds and flus by half
The sauna or steambath will improve your heart health
Using a sauna or a steambath will provide you more energy throughout the day
Using a sauna or a steambath may relieve conditions such as arthritis and rheumatism
Your skin will look and feel better and younger, with fewer blemishes and a healthy glow
Improved circulation, which in turn solves a plethora of conditions (even erectile dysfunction)
You will feel great; peaceful and relaxed after using a sauna or a steambath
You will sleep better after using a sauna or a steambath
The specific ailments that are frequently relieved with the use of a sauna or a steambath include: anxiety, muscle tension, acne, chronic fatigue, insomnia, depression, back pain, fibromyalgia, circulatory problems, erectile dysfunction, lethargy, poor circulation, lower back pain, and many more.
*Note that saunas and steambaths are not identical but the two provide similar benefits. To avoid repeating the phrase “saunas and steambaths” in every sentence, I shall use the terms interchangeably for the remainder of this article.
Detoxification and purification: The Primary Reasons to use a Sauna or a Steambath
The primary purpose of a sauna or a steambath is to cleanse the body through perspiration. The sauna’s heat causes a slight increase in the body’s core temperature, just enough to activate the body’s temperature-regulating mechanism, perspiration. The pores of the skin to open, allowing perspiration to flush out the impurities in the body. Toxemia
Sauna
What Happens to Your Body in a Sauna or a Steambath?
When you take a sauna, the heat pumps up blood circulation near the skin and stimulates sweating. The sauna elicits about a quart of sweat per hour. Sweating helps the body rid itself of toxins and other unwanted materials and improves general circulation. In the sauna, the temperature your skin rises. Blood vessels dilate, increasing circulation in the skin and decreasing the resistance to blood flow through your veins and capillaries. This causes your blood pressure to go down briefly. Then your heartbeat increases to normalize your blood pressure.
Pain Relief and Muscle Relaxation
After a heavy workout, lactic acid often accumulates around the muscles that have been strained. It is this lactic acid that causes the pain that may linger for days due to improper circulation to those muscle groups. The steambath relieves this pain by pumping more oxygen-rich blood into the muscles, which dissipates the lactic acid. If you often feel tense muscles or “knots” in your back, you will feel similar relief from the increased circulation obtained in the sauna.
Recent scientific evidence also suggests that the sauna can relieve rheumatism and arthritis.
Increased Circulation: Goodbye Cold Clammy Hands and Feet!
The sauna increases the blood circulation to your entire body. This improves nearly every function of the body and mind, but tends to show the most dramatic effect in the extremities, which are the areas most deprived of oxygen when you have poor circulation. The steambath will dilate (open) the blood vessels to allow easier passage. In cold climates, many people know the misery of cold, clammy hands and feet, due to poor circulation. The sauna corrects this problem.
The Sauna: Better than Viagra!!
Erectile dysfunction (or E.D.) is the nemesis of many older men (and their wives!). E.D. can have several causes, including poor circulation, and mental stress. The sauna is one of the best treatments for both of these underlying conditions for erectile dysfunction. Factor in the fact that most people feel sexier when they are clean and healthy, and you will understand why one of my best friends, a 75-year-old man has assured me “Michael… the sauna is much better than Viagra!”. It bears mentioning that Viagra is a toxic substance that comes with a plethora of risks, including heart attack and chemical dependence. The sauna will help heal your whole and all of your parts, without any harmful side effects.
Younger, Healthier Skin
Your skin will look and feel younger, as the sauna flushes your clogged pores, which clears the complexion. Because the sauna brings more blood near the surface, and therefore more oxygen, skin cell renewal is increased. Some sauna users like to scrub away the top layers of dead skin cells, and allow these new cells to show through. The result is a brighter, smoother, and more youthful complexion.
Permanent Weight Loss
Saunas and steambaths are frequently used for weight loss. The weight loss has nothing to do with water loss, and everything to do with the number of calories burned. Sure, you will indeed lose some water weight, but you’ll gain that back immediately. To understand the reason that permanent weight loss occurs, you must consider that sweat does not simply “leak” out of the body… the body must push it out.
Perspiration is your body’s natural system for temperature regulation. When the core temperature rises above 37 degrees Celsius (98 degrees Fahrenheit), the body pushes the excess heat into the water inside your body, then pushes that water through the open pores to expel the excess heat. This process burns around 600 calories per hour, regardless of whether that sweat is from physical exertion, or simply from the sauna’s relaxing heat. So your body is exercising even while you feel relaxed!
Relief from Insomnia
The ‘exercise effect’ described above will leave your body ready for a peaceful rest. After a sauna or a steam session, you will fall asleep quickly and easily (when you are ready, that is). Insomniacs often resort to sleep medications, and sometimes perform strenuous physical activity to the point of collapse. But sauna users have no need for these extreme techniques. It easy to fall asleep naturally after taking a relaxing steambath.
Euphoria, and Mental Peace
Saunas and steambaths induce a feeling of euphoria, which includes mental peace and contentment and physical invigoration. The sauna will sharpen your senses and will heighten your tactile sensitivity.
The Best Anti-Depressant
Saunas and steambaths are known to help people with anxiety and depression. After leaving the sauna or steambath, the mind is in a relaxed, lucid state, free of worries. Also, since the body and mind are one, all of the physical benefits described above are at the same time helping the mind and emotions. As well, it is important to note that the sauna offers these benefits without the troubling side effects of chemical anti-depressants.
The Benefits of Light
Natural sunlight is an important factor in a person’s well-being, as there would be no life without the sun. Sunlight includes ultraviolet light, the visible spectrum (all of the rainbow colors from red to violet) and infrared light.
If you live in a warmer climate, you may already get a healthy daily dose of light. But those living in cold climates are frequently light-deprived, since the cold urges us inside, where the light we see comes from light bulbs, which only reproduce a small portion of the visible spectrum (mostly yellow).
Doctors have recently begun prescribing light therapy for a host of conditions. Blue light is known to kill some bacteria beneath the skin, while red light reduces inflammation. Infrared light penetrates through the skin and is absorbed by the muscles, relieving pain and loosening and expelling toxins through the skin. Even ultraviolet light is prescribed by doctors to treat psoriasis. UV light does carry some risks, in that it kills skin cells and stimulates oil production, which will block your pores and can cause skin blemishes. Despite a prominent fear that UV causes skin cancer, recent studies show that those living farther from the equator (those that receive less sunlight) have dramatically higher cancer rates than those that receive more sunlight.
Infrared light has no known risks. In fact, it is the safest form of heat, so safe that doctors use infrared light to heat newborn babies born prematurely.
Common Sense
A little common sense goes a long way. Be sure to replace the water you’re losing. Do not drink alcohol, which is a poison and a depressant that slows the blood and dulls your nerves, counteracting the benefits of the sauna. Ask your doctor for advice if you have a medical condition that causes you to worry whether you are fit to be in a sauna. Saunas and steambaths are supposed to be enjoyable. If you feel ill in the sauna, leave the sauna. Otherwise, enjoy, and be well!
Here is another fabulous recipe from Kristina Carrillo-Bucaram: Apple pie that tastes exactly like Grandma’s sugary-toxic recipe. Hint: it tastes the same because both are made with the same amount of LOVE!
Ingredients:
Bushels of love
8-10 apples of any variety
3 pounds of pitted dates
Raw dried or fresh figs
Cinnamon and/or Nutmeg
More optional ingredients:
Dried coconut powder
Blueberries and/or raspberries
A few tablespoons of coconut oil
More love (actually this is not optional)
To make the crust, toss a pound of dates with 1/2 pound of figs in a food processor, and process until it reaches a cookie dough consistency. (Optional step: add a thin layer of dried coconut flakes to the bottom of the pie dish.) Press this date/fig crust into the bottom of your pie pan dish. (If you started with the coconut flakes, they will stick to the crust but not to the dish.) Optionally paint a thin layer of coconut oil on top of the crust… if this pie ever makes it to your fridge, the coconut oil will harden and make your crust even stronger.
To make the apple pie filling, blend 3 apples with about 3/4 lb of dates, cinnamon and nutmeg, in a high-power blender such as Vitamix or Blendtec. Thinly slice your apples with a knife or with a mandolin and alternately layer the apple slices with your pie filling. If you are making straight-up apple pie that can easily rival Grandma’s, then you are finished now.
Kristina’s recipe is so yummy that you will want to make it over and over. If you are like me, then you may want to make it a little different each time, so at this point you can add an extra layer with the fruits of your choice. Pictured below, you will see the version that I made with a top layer of blended blueberries, raspberries and dates (and of course more love), and decorated with coconut flakes and more blueberries.
Every time you blink, tears are spread across your eyes, providing lubrication and protection. Tears, which are produced by several glands in and near the eyelids, are needed for proper eyesight and for the self-cleaning functions of the eyes. A tiny muscle controls the flow of tears over the cornea… normally the flow is minimal, but when a person experiences any overwhelming emotion (such as sadness, anger, pride or joy), this tiny muscle becomes relaxed, and tear flow is increased: the phenomenon of crying!
Dry eyes, on the other hand, may be caused by one or more of the following factors:
The environment: a dry or smoky environment, wind and or air conditioning. All these can speed up the evaporation of tears.
Computer use and/or reading: these activities may result in less frequent blinking.
Use of contact lenses and/or laser refractive eye surgeries can decrease tear production.
Some medications and medical conditions can reduce tear production.
Age and gender are also considered factors, as many seniors experience dry eyes, and the hormonal changes related to pregnancy, oral contraceptives, and menopause may also contribute to the condition.
I live in a windy area, frequently read and use the computer, I’ve had laser refractive surgery, and in my teens I took a medication called Accutane that is infamous for causing dry eyes (the least of its side effects!). In other words I’ve had some personal experiences with dry eyes. Commonly proposed “solutions” include using eye drops (which often contain suspicious ingredients) and surgery that prevents the drainage of tears. But I have found a natural system that works for me quickly and efficiently. I simply watch one of the short videos, or read one of the short stories that follow. Each is an inspiring story of personal triumph. I wouldn’t recommend going through all of these moving stories at once, unless you have a box of tissues nearby, and a glass of water to re-hydrate!
Inspirational stories for moderately dry eyes (guaranteed to produce happy tears)
The story of Ezra Frech
The story of Ashly Williams
http://youtu.be/z4_vFAZgL4E
Inspirational stories for extremely dry eyes (may produce a cascade of happy tears)
These may also be useful for stage actors that need to produce realistic tears on demand.
The story of Choi Sung-Bong
More Inspirational Stories
The story of Kyle…
One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.
His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books….
I thought to myself, ‘Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? ‘He must really be a nerd.’
I had quite a weekend planned (parties & a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders & went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms & tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.
My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, ‘Those guys are jerks.’ They really should get lives.
‘ He looked at me & said, ‘Hey thanks!’ There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.
We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends and I. He said yes.. We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and my friends thought the same of him.
Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.I stopped him and said, ‘Boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!’ He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors we began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor and I was going for business on a football scholarship.
Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation.I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there and speak.
Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great.He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him. Boy, sometimes I was jealous! Today was one of those days.
I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, ‘Hey, big guy, you’ll be great!’ He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.’ Thanks,’ he said.
As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began…
‘Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach…but mostly your friends… I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.
‘I am going to tell you a story.’ I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told of the first day we met.
He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his mom wouldn’t have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
‘Thankfully, I was saved… My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable..’
I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.Not until that moment did I realize it’s depth.
Never underestimate the power of your actions.. With one small gesture you can change a person’s life. For better or for worse.
A parent’s letter to their child
*Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.
*Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.
*Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.
*Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck
and I will buy you one if he comes by.
*Just for this afternoon, I won’t worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision
I have made where you are concerned.
*Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won’t stand over you trying to fix them.
*Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.
*Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.
*Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.
*Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.
*Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the
greatest gift ever given.
*I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are
visiting their children’s graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can’t handle it anymore.
*And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and
ask Him for nothing, except one more day.
Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep or to stay sleeping.
Insomnia is defined as difficulty with the initiation, maintenance, duration, or quality of sleep that results in the impairment of daytime functioning, despite adequate opportunity and circumstances for sleep. (1, 2)
