More people than ever are interested in improving their health and in reversing the aging process, in losing weight, in having more energy and improving their overall vitality. One way of accomplishing many of those things is by detoxifying the body, also known as cleansing. A raw food detox is one option for cleansing and those who are advocates of raw food diets say there is no better way to cleanse and purify the system.
A commonly used example about why a raw food detoxification is beneficial can be better understood by looking at a baked potato. A plain baked potato is often recommended with some of the "mainstream" detox programs.
But, when the potato is baked it ends up containing more than 400 chemical components that it did not have when in its raw form. It doesn't take much to see that this diet detox approach might not be best, since the desired outcome is to eliminate chemicals and toxins from the body as much as possible.
A raw food detox can also be more beneficial than traditional diet detox programs because of how the body responds to cooked foods. Few people understand that when you ingest foods that have been cooked, your body interprets the cooked food as poison and reacts accordingly. White blood cell production is increased and moved into your system to defend your body.
This response is trigged by the immune system and is called leukosytosis. By eating a raw food diet, or by making sure that a minimum of 50% of your meal is comprised of raw foods, you can stop this reaction. This is another strong reason why a detox comprised of raw foods will be more beneficial overall than a detox diet that is based on cooked foods.
A true raw food detox means that 100% of the foods you eat are in their raw and uncooked state. Many people find this difficult to maintain for long periods of time, because of social situations, family and peer pressure, or simply the inconvenience. However, most people can successfully get through a detox period of anywhere from one to three weeks and stick to the 100% living raw diet.
After a few weeks, some people decide that they love the way the feel and decide they are able to go raw 100% for good. Others will take a more moderate approach at the end of their diet detox period and scale back somewhat, eating 70% to 95% of their food raw and making allowances for some deviations. Advocates of the living foods lifestyle say that keeping your intake of raw foods at 50% or above can still deliver significant health benefits.
Some of the common benefits of the raw food detox and subsequent raw food lifestyle are lowered cholesterol, lowered blood pressure, improved sleep patterns, more energy, weight loss and a reduction in the percentage of body fat. In addition, some people report that allergies cleared up and symptoms of depression were alleviated, as well as many other health and mental improvements.
I would venture to guess that there are many people out there, who enjoy vegetarian and/or raw food as a main stay of their diet, but miss going out to eat, or they have to eat something of a lesser quality than that at home. I would also venture to guess that many would like to try out the raw food diet, but frankly have no idea what they would eat all the time, or how to prepare anything. A great answer to these situations is the raw food potluck! At a raw food potluck, there are often seasoned "raw foodists" there, who bring some great raw food dishes. So not only is the opportunity to meet like minded people there, but you will most likely have the chance to enjoy some creative raw food dishes.
If you are interested in this at all, I encourage you to type the words "raw food potluck (your city)" into the google search engine, and see if there's anything near you. I think there are a fair amount of them out there, but if there's not one in your area, you could always start one of your own. Just invite at least 2 other people, and have them bring something totally raw, put on some nice music, and get a raw book or two from the library, or have a speaker come in, and have a great, healthy night gorging on raw food!
My family and I have enjoyed going to these potlucks. Victoria Boutenko spoke at the first raw food potluck I ever went to, and it so inspired me, that I went raw that night for three months! Sometimes I regret coming off of it, but let's just say I know firsthand how beneficial raw food is! I felt great, looked great, and became a morning person! Miracle of miracles. I still enjoy a largely raw diet, and someday I will go on it again for an extended time, if not for good.
These potlucks offer a lot of benefits. You will be introduced to like minded people, and often these people are very willing to offer moral support in between potlucks. It gives you a raw night out, free! (Well, you have to bring a raw food dish, but other than that, you will most likely eat a wonderful raw meal that you might easily pay good money for elsewhere.) Another value in these raw potlucks is that they give you the opportunity to collect raw food recipes! There have been times when I got a new recipe at one of these potlucks, and went home to see if it was in a book I had already, only to find it wasn't. Score.
A great thing to bring to one of these potlucks, just so you're prepared to come home with some good recipes, is a blank recipe book, such as I have made available on my site. I wish I would've had one of these years ago!
If you're thinking, ok, great place to go and find raw food recipes and meet people...but I don't have a raw food recipe/dish to bring. Well, you could buy a watermelon and cut it up, and voila, you will have an instant hit. Or a bring plate full of grapes, and they'll be gone! Or you could type "raw food recipes free" in the google search engine, and try something new.
Why not be adventurous? Look up a raw food potluck in your area, and enjoy a night being completely raw. Who knows? Maybe you'll decide to take the raw plunge, too.
Both Nbisea & Roxanne Vick are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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