Rational raw food diet
Optimal health can be obtained by eating a raw food diet. Raw foodism is a back-to-basics philosophy based on what is believed to be the natural diet of our prehistoric hunter-gatherer relatives. Anthropologists conclude that primitive humans ate a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes and about 30 percent game meat. People today overeat because they are not getting the nutrients they need in cooked foods.
Cooking reduces the nutritional value of food. Heat denatures the enzymes necessary for digestion and absorption of nutrients, destroys essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants, and releases carcinogenic substances from fats and proteins. Dr. Edward Howell’s food enzyme concept theorizes that people are born with a limited ability to produce digestive enzymes. By eating raw food with its own supply of enzymes, you conserve your natural enzyme capacity. Avoiding enzyme depletion and the resulting free radical damage essentially slows the aging process.
To obtain the best health benefits from a raw food diet, use natural organic foods. Organic products are generally unprocessed and free of pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and chemical additives. If you choose to consume raw meat, purchase the meat of wild game or free-range, grass-fed animals from a specialty or kosher butcher. Careful handling and preparation reduces the risk of illness from harmful bacteria. You should obtain Raw Fish from a reputable source as well. You can eliminate the potential for parasite transmission from Raw Fish by freezing fish prior to use in raw dishes.
Variations of raw food diets abound. They range from a strict vegan diet that does not use any animal derived products to Aajonus Vonderplanitz’s Primal Diet that consists primarily of raw meat, unpasteurized dairy products, vegetables, fruits and no grains. People adopting a vegan lifestyle must be particularly vigilant about consuming a balanced diet. Raw vegans have a high risk of developing calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and vitamin D deficiencies. On the other hand, rawists that include raw meat in their diet reject the inherent risk of bacterial and parasitic contamination. They believe these organisms are beneficial for digestion and disease prevention, and will quickly develop a symbiotic relationship with their host.
The most rational approach to a healthy raw diet avoids extremes and utilizes an omnivorous perspective. A simple organic omnivorous raw food diet includes raw meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, eggs and dairy products. Including meat in a raw diet is supported by the current scientific belief that the increase in brain size of paleolithic humans was due to the addition of meat to their herbivorous diet. To avoid potential health risks from raw meat as well as enhance the flavor and reduce social aversion, meat can be marinated, seared, cooked rare and served with various dips, sauces and spices. Steak tartare and carpaccio are raw meat delicacies. Raw Fish Dishes such as sushi, sashimi, and ahi tuna poke are even more popular.
Eating a natural, unprocessed balanced raw diet is an effective method of obtaining optimal health. A raw food diet can reduce your risk of cancer, obesity, arthritis, heart disease and autoimmune disease. Evidence suggests that you can reverse diabetes, autism, and gastrointestinal disorders by adopting a raw diet that includes meat. Aajonus Vonderplanitz, the originator of the Primal Diet, claims his raw diet puts cancer in remission, enhances vitality and libido, improves emotional well being, boosts immunity and increases muscle tone without exercise. Proponents of rawism believe that by conserving enzymes, a raw diet has the potential to slow the aging process.
About the Author
Pamela Dragos began writing pet health care articles for various websites in 2010. She is a veterinarian practicing in Phoenix and has more than 20 years of experience in small-animal medicine and surgery. She holds a Bachelor of Science in zoology from Arizona State University and a Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
|
|
The Parasite $2.39 The Parasite |
