I have been eating low-carb religiously for several years. I have lost extra weight, gained energy and felt healthier than ever. However, deep down I knew that eating unlimited portions of beef jerky, cheddar cheese and pork rinds might not be the most optimal way to achieve the level of health for which I strived.
Yes, I do believe that eating a strict low-carb diet can treat/reverse/prevent diabetes, lower cholesterol, decrease body fat, improve energy levels, decrease/prevent hypertension, and prevent heart/cardiovascular disease. However, I believe there is an even healthier alternative which takes low-carb to a whole new level: raw food.
I've always loved fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, but some of these foods are high in carbs (like most fruits), so I've limited my intake. Ideally, I've sought a diet high in protein, fiber and nutrients whilst still being low in calories, fat and carbohydrates. I naturally gravitate toward foods with a high amount life-force energy: those foods which remain as close to their natural state as possible. I found that many of the characteristics of the raw food diet not only met my dietary guidelines, but also met my ethical and spiritual guidelines as well. Eating "raw" means eating no cooked foods -- cooking foods destroys many beneficial nutrients and decreases a food's nutritional value. Raw food is completely vegan, containing no animal products. That means no dairy, eggs, or meat -- nothing that comes from an animal. While I am not totally against consuming animal products, especially when animals are treated humanely by their caregivers, refraining from eating animal products--especially meat--is a sign of respect and reverence for life. It is a way of taking one's diet to a higher plane--to a spiritual level. I view eating a pure raw diet akin to "nutritional nirvana" -- a state to which I aspire.
My experience with a raw food diet started when I saw an episode of "Wife Swap" where one of the wives was a health nut (literally). She was over the top. That's of course what gets the ratings. Not only was she 100% raw, but spent time "sun gazing" to obtain some form of solar energy through her eyeballs supposedly to suppress her appetite and gain some sort of solar nutrition. I, of course, like most Americans, viewed her behavior as extreme and somewhat bizarre. At one point, I remember the raw foodist becoming physically ill when forced to eat cooked food and meat. I thought that was all part of her mental instability. Along with most other Americans, I laughed at her ludicrous display.
One day a few months ago, as I was perusing through my daily barrage of spam, I noticed a newsletter to which I didn't recall subscribing to. It was called "The Raw Food World Newsletter." I hadn't purchased anything from such a store and certainly didn't voluntarily add my email to this list. I took a quick look at it and it was actually quite interesting. I had no idea why I got this email, but it was fascinating. I went to The Raw Food World website and started to learn more. I ordered some of the products to try. They were awesome and I wanted to learn more. What an amazing stroke of synchronicity!
I have continued to read "The Raw Food World Newsletter" and their daily blog, which features "The Raw Food World TV Show", featuring the vibrant Matt Monarch and his glowing fianceé Angela Stokes. I have visited dozens of raw food websites, purchased tons of raw food products, and have been devouring (not literally) every book I can read about the raw food lifestyle. While I have not yet reached the highest level of nutritional nirvana, I am definitely heading in that direction.
I now understand that a person who has cleansed their body from all of the impurities inherently present in a Standard Amerian Diet (S.A.D.) cannot consume "regular" food without experiencing the toxic side effects that come with it. I now know that that "Wife Swap" lady was not just being a drama queen when she exhibited signs of illness upon consuming "normal" food. When one commits to a pure, organic, raw lifestyle, one becomes pure, organic and raw. I am believing more and more that "you are what you eat" and subscribe to Hippocrates' philosophy: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." That is why I believe in, support and seek to become "raw." For me, it just makes sense. It is taking my mind, body, and spirit to the next level.
