Do these questions sound familiar? To add to this confusion many times we hear: “Meat causes cancer so you should have less protein,” or “Fat causes you to gain weight, so stick to a low-fat diet,” or “Too many carbohydrates are not good for you and may cause you to gain weight.” So what do we eat now?
The first thing to remember is that we all have different requirements. Each person’s “Fuel Mix” (percentage of proteins, carbohydrates and fats) is different. Consider for a moment: cars. Some cars need to run on diesel fuel while others need unleaded fuel. If you put diesel fuel into a car that runs on unleaded fuel, the engine will break down. In the same way, if we do not get the right fuel mix of proteins, carbohydrates and fats our cells will not be nourished properly. This lack of proper nourishment can cause our bodies to break down, which will make us more vulnerable to disease.

Another aspect to consider is which kinds of proteins, fats and carbohydrates we need. With this kind of information, we can make much better decisions about how to feed our bodies and keep them healthy.

The second concept is that we put food in our bodies every day. If we take a few moments to think about this statement, we can understand why this is so important. What we do every day over time deeply affects our physiology. If we are consuming food that is not right for our metabolism, it acts as a poison. If we are not eating enough of the foods that are good for us, then our cells and bodies will tend to degenerate rapidly. Once in a while, we can eat something that is not so good for us without causing lasting damage to ourselves. However, if we eat something that is not beneficial not only once, but every day for a year or ten or twenty years, our bodies will break down much more quickly. That one cup of coffee each day for the last 20 years has perhaps made the blood acidic and caused osteoporosis as a result of all the minerals that had to be leached from the bones so the body could process and metabolize the coffee. Every day, we have the power to choose nourishing food that will act as medicine for our bodies, or depleting foods that will become a poison in our systems.

The third concept is that if we eat food in its natural state we have a much better chance of maintaining outstanding health. In today’s fast paced world many people are looking for fast food, food to go, or easy things that do not have to be prepared. Food that is processed, man-made, that comes from a bag (not a tree) or a can (not the sea), has few or no healthy nutrients. These kinds of processed foods are devoid of many basic vitamins and minerals that the body needs to function healthfully and not only this, but they are filled with preservatives, conservatives and chemicals to give them flavor, color and shelf life. Eating this kind of food is one contributing factor to disease.

When we eat food that is fresh, alive and raw we increase our body’s own ability to heal and regenerate. It is important to note that not everyone should follow a raw diet. For many people it is not practical or even appealing. However, in my practice I have found that those who incorporate more food in its natural state make the best progress and often eliminate the health issues they had been dealing with. For more information on raw foods and their ability to restore health, please read “We Want to Live” by Aajonus Vonderplanitz.