WHY RAW FOODS?

When people hear the term “raw food” they often tend to think that it is a complicated way of eating that requires lots of discipline. Partially they may be right. Partially. But there is so much more to raw food and if you look at it from a different perspective, then perhaps you too would give it a try. And that perspective is through the lens of shopping.

Let’s side track for a minute and think of a special party that you were looking forward to attending, like prom or your cousin’s wedding. If you are like me, then you probably started looking for a dress months in advance. I remember that before my prom, my mom and I took a train up to New York for a weekend to find the dress that I loved. It took hours.

First we had to find dresses that looked good on the rack. Then we had wait in long lines to the fitting rooms in order for me to try them on. Then, we had to weigh the pros and cons of each dress as far as price and value. Once that was decided, we would put the dress on hold and go to another store to make sure we didn’t find anything better. Let me just say that it was one long weekend, but in the end, it was worth it – I did get the dress and I looked great at the prom.

So, how does that go with the raw foods? I think it is all about the value of discipline and figuring out whether you are worth the effort or not. It is a well-known fact that raw food has the enzymes and vitamins that your body needs to flourish. But when we cook our food, they are destroyed. Due to the lack of food enzymes, our bodies have to work extra hard on digesting the food, instead of sending nutrients to the cells and burning off extra fat. And because most of the vitamins are destroyed during cooking, our bodies crave more and more food, leading people to overeat.

But if you look at raw foods as something that will make you look and feel great for the entire life, not just a day, you will see how valuable raw foods are. And they don’t require hours like shopping does. I personally know many people who cured diseases, increased energy and lost weight on raw foods. And because there is no actual cooking involved, you have more time on your hands to do other things. 

Lastly, I want to say that raw food takes LESS time to prepare than cooked food, simply because you don’t cook it! Yes, there are things that need to be soaked overnight or sprouted, but you don’t have to stand next to the stove for hours as you would with cooked foods. All that is required of you is to put the items in the water (takes less than 1 minute) and rinse the next day (takes less than 1 minute again). It does take remembering to do these simple actions, but then again, what doesn’t? We all brush our teeth everyday, twice a day because we want to avoid going to the dentist. So, why not introduce more simple raw foods into your diet if it will help you avoid going to the doctor?

Now, I don’t suggest that you should go on an all-raw food diet and forget about the simple pleasures of sharing a home-cooked meal with friends and family. I, myself, occasionally eat foods that are contain animal products because I found that with my bio-individuality that is what my body needs. However all ingredients are organic and from humanely-treated and raised animals and these foods are not the staples of my daily diet. 

What I do advise my clients is to experiment with raw foods and to leave excuses behind. If you don’t like all raw foods, then it’s ok, as long as you gave it a fair chance. But you won’t know unless you try it, just like you have to look for a dress that has the right fit and color for you.

Your body is worth nourishing and pampering. It is worth receiving all the best foods available so you would look and feel great. I think that if we spend hours shopping for clothes that will make us look good for a special occasion, then we are definitely worth looking and feeling good during our entire lives.

I encourage you to give some raw foods a shot and see how you like them. You are worth having a healthy, beautiful body, and raw foods are an easy way to achieve just that. To begin, just start adding a banana to your morning donut or add some kale to a fruit smoothie. For lunch and dinner, add a big green salad and some of your favorite raw vegetables. Start small and you will still see the difference. Take a look at my "Getting Started" Tab for more ideas! 

Cheers to your health!

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