It’s no secret that many people, raw foodists or not, struggle with releasing unwanted weight.  Often times this inability to lose weight stems from seemingly uncontrollable cravings for unhealthy cooked foods.  These cravings often lead to binge eating, which (of course) leads to weight gain.

There is a good chance that you struggle with this problem as well.  Sure, you might stick to a raw food diet for maybe a week or so, but those killer cravings always seem to rear their ugly heads again.

Once they’re back, it’s all you think about and before you know it, you’re parked at the nearest fast-food joint chowing down on the fattiest, most unhealthy food you can get your hands on.  You spend the rest of the day feeling guilty and dreading your next visit with Mr. Scale.  And the cycle continues…

What to do?  Is there anyway to end this madness?  Don’t you wish that there was one easy and effective way to finally lose weight? Well, to day is your lucky day!  Here is the #1 rule for healthy raw food weight loss:

Eat More Food!

Sounds crazy, right? To tackle the weight loss issue, we have to get to the root of the problem: cravings. Many of these cravings can be avoided by simply eating more!  We are so often told to eat less and less and less for weight loss.  This is not the answer.  Eating less food than your body needs means receiving less volume and fewer nutrients than you require.

If you allow yourself to eat as much food as you want, I promise you will see a significant reduction in cooked food cravings. Of course, you can’t just eat *any* foods.  You want a raw diet comprised of mostly raw sweet fruits, 1-2 pounds of non-sweet fruits and tender greens, and limited amounts of fatty foods (i.e. half an avocado or 1-2 ounces of nuts per day).

You also want to be sure and eradicate (or at least limit) food such as salt, onion, garlic, and pepper from your diet.  These foods are irritating to the body and they can and will lead to water retention.

How This Rule Helped Me

As wary as I am to admit it, I used to binge eat.  Not only was this physically and mentally damaging, it prevented me from staying at my ideal weight for very long.  Luckily, this never became a daily practice for me, but it was a nasty frequent habit nonetheless and one that became harder and harder to stop.

It was not until I learned the value of eating as much raw foods as I wanted and actually implemented this in my life that I no longer felt the urge to binge on unhealthy foods.

There were many days in which I actually ate 3000 calories worth of raw foods…well over my caloric needs for the day.  And yet, I still lost weight! That’s the beauty of a low fat, high fruit raw food diet.  You really can eat pounds of food a day and experience vibrant health.

What other diet can promise that?

Moral of the Story

Eat more raw foods! I don’t care if you just had a huge meal of 20 bananas!  If you feel cravings coming on, go grab an apple or some grapes or pineapple, etc. And don’t cause yourself unnecessary stress by worrying over how much you are eating.  Your appetite will gradually lessen as your taste buds and tummy become accustomed to simpler foods.  You won’t have to eat quite as much to feel satisfied.

Today, I honestly can’t even imagine eating those unhealthy foods that I used to binge on.  My belly is far too full on delicious sweet fruits!

Food is one of the three big stresses. Here I have laid out an easy program to reduce the affects of stress. This is RAW FOOD HEALTH AND DIET RECOMMENDATIONS I WOULD MAKE TO YOU

The major improvements in your nutritional health are found in a raw food diet. This page is a starting block for you to improve your health and relieve your nutritional stress.This article is in an outline form for ease of use. Cut it out and paste it to your refrigerator of which you will replenish after reading this.

Drink more water.

Don’t drink cola or milk.

Drink fifteen minutes before meals or an hour after meals, not with meals.

Avoid fluoridated toothpaste and chlorinated water.

Whatever you put on your skin (lotions, perfumes, deodorants…) are absorbed into your body. Don’t put anything on your skin you wouldn’t eat.

Get the mercury out of your mouth! Silver fillings your dentist put in years ago.

Don’t eat sugar! Cookies, candies, cakes, ice cream, fudge, brownies… you know.

Don’t eat Bread, Rice, Pasta and Potatoes. They are sugar.

Eat meals of small amounts of proteins with lots of vegetables (beef, fish, chicken, turkey, pork, eggs…)

Eat Fruit in between meals not with meals.

Don’t eat white, processed junk that comes from a box, can or package.

Avoid polyunsaturated oils and do not eat margarine! These are liquid plastic.

Canola oil is made from genetically engineered soybeans. It is also liquid plastic.

Allergens: Avoid wheat, dairy and soy.

Soy is genetically engineered, does not digest readily in the body, and is estrogenic (causes high levels of estrogen).

Digestion: Be careful about eating seeds, nuts, popcorn (don’t eat popcorn), spicy foods, caffeine, alcohol (not more than two drinks and not two days in a row) and chocolate.

The top 10 things to do RIGHT NOW to reduce stress!

1. Reducing calories improves lifespan.

2. Don’t feed your body unhealthy foods.

3. Take care of your levels of emotional stress and anxiety. Your gut is your second brain.

4. Don’t swallow food without chewing it first.

5. Drugs disturb the normal intestinal bacteria. Make sure you add gut nutrition; Probiotics.

6. Chlorinated water kills good bacteria. Filter it.

7. Rest a little during the day and sleep well at night in a dark room.

8. Light that leaks in while you sleep stops melatonin and messes up your pineal gland.

9. The microbes you are exposed to stimulate your immune and lymphatic systems to work better. Don’t be so sanitary. Let your kids play in the dirt every now and then.

10. There are three and a half pounds of bacteria living in your gut. Once they are disturbed, bigger problems are not far behind. Keep your colon clean.

Don’t eat sugar!

Do these things and you are on your way to improving your health. You know what to do, really. It takes discipline and motivation to do them. Start small and do one thing at a time until you master it. Then move on to the next step. It has taken you years to get to where you are right now. It will take months, or years to reverse these things and get yourself on the right track. You owe it to yourself, don’t you?

Nutrition is one of the three causes of stress to your body. Begin by watching how you can curb yourself from this stress. The others, Physical and Emotional are just as much stressors. They each take a different approach to deal with.

But what choice do you have? Begin to make these changes today. They will help improve your health and ease the overall stress in your life.

Hello, I have already decided to feed my dogs a raw food diet. I have done research on exactly what types of protein and vegetables are good for them, and what they cannot have. I can’t find anywhere how much food exactly I should give them… I mean in ounces or pounds, and how many times a day I should feed them this. Their meals will mainly consist of chicken, lamb, potatoes, carrots, and rice. They are two female adult Golden Retrievers, one a little small for her breed. Any suggestions? Thanks

Are you really eager to go raw, but just can’t seem to muster up the courage to get started?

These are some of the top 10 benefits of the raw food diet that most every raw foodist has experienced.  If this doesn’t convince you to go raw, I just don’t know what will!

#1: Improved digestion

If I had to give you my top raw food benefit, improved digestion would be it.  It is the one result that almost every single person who attempts a healthy raw diet experiences.

Not only that, but it usually occurs very quickly.  Almost every digestive issue can be solved in just a few short days, if not less.  Whether you suffer from irritable bowel syndrome or just the occasional upset tummy, you will see major improvements after going raw.

However, if you continue to abuse the #1 food combining rule, than your results will not be as great.  No amount of raw food can undo the effects of the sugar-fat combo.

#2: Permanent Weight Loss

Hmmmm…maybe permanent weight loss should be the top benefit?

I don’t think it’s going too far to say that close to 99.9999999% of people struggle with their weight at some point in their lives.  Many of us go on diet after diet after diet hoping that we will see *some* kind of change in our weight.

Unfortunately, the only change that most of us witness is a higher number on the scale.  And if we do happen to lose weight, it’s usually at the expense of our health (i.e. calorie restriction, dangerous diet pills, frozen food programs, etc.) and typically comes back to haunt us sooner or later.

On the other hand, eating a healthy raw food diet allows you to lose weight *permanently* while improving your health substantially.  Plus, you get to eat *pounds* of food on a daily basis, without any guilt!

#3: More Energy

Unlike what you read/hear from many well-known raw foodists, raw foods do *not* give you energy.  Nothing you eat does, whether it’s a burger or a banana.  Eating food of any kind *requires* energy, just as everything else that you do during the day requires energy.

What makes following a healthy raw vegan diet truly special is that it requires less energy to process inside your body.  2 pounds of grapes literally takes *minutes* to be fully digested by the body.  This is opposed to cooked foods, or even a complicated fatty raw dish, which take hours to be digested.

The one *true* energy provider is sleep, which brings me to benefit #4…

#4: Better Sleep

Since I’ve been raw, I rarely ever feel tired when I get into bed.  Even after being raw for so long, I still get ready for bed sometimes and think, “Gee, I’m not going to be able to fall asleep right now.  Maybe I should just stay up for a little longer.”

However, I convince myself to get into bed and the moment my head hits the pillow, I feel so relaxed.  Within minutes, I’m out.

The best part?  When I wake up, I feel completely awake and ready to begin my day.  No more groggy mornings for me!

This is a far cry from my bedtime routine from two years ago.  My routine was this: feel absolutely exhausted by 4pm.  Try not to fall asleep at the wheel on the way to a client’s house.  Feel a little better after a 30-minute nap.  Feel exhausted again by 7pm.  Get into bed still exhausted by 10pm.  Remain awake for an hour.  Wake up at 7am groggy and grouchy.  Repeat.

Yikes, that makes me tired just writing it!

#5: Mental Clarity

I’m sure that many non-raw foodists will disagree with this one.  Raw foodists are supposed to be tree-hugging, hippie nut jobs, right?

On a raw food diet, because you are no longer weighing your body down with hard-to-digest cooked foods, you have more energy to use your brain!

Of course, this has a lot to do with sleep as discussed previously.  Because we spend less energy digesting our foods, we sleep more soundly.  This means that we have more energy during the day, meaning our thoughts are generally much clearer and our focus greatly improved.  We are more mentally, and even emotionally stable.

It’s really a cycle, isn’t it?  The more raw foods you eat, the better you sleep.  The better you sleep, the more energy you have.  The more energy you have, the more mentally stable you are.  The more mentally stable, the easier it is to stay raw.  The longer you stay raw…

#6: Soft, Smooth, & Clear Skin

To be honest, I’ve always had pretty good skin.  I’ve had maybe three blemishes in my entire life.  In fact, the worst my skin has ever been was for the first few months *after* I gave up salt!  But that’s for another article…

I’m not trying to brag.  I just want to be honest.  I’m not here to make up crazy transition stories about how going raw made me grow 5 inches taller and gave me the power of flight.  Although I have gone down almost 2 full shoes…

Anyway, I’m sure that many of you struggle with skin problems, whether it’s a blotchy skin tone, dry skin, oily skin, visible pores, blemishes, etc.

You *do not* need an expensive, chemical-laden skin treatment routine that only serves to further irritate your already abused skin.  All you need is a good heapin’ helping of water-rich raw fruits and veggies.

And some sunshine couldn’t hurt either.

#7: Thick, Healthy, & Shiny Hair

I’ve always had really thick hair, but it was very dry and hard to manage before I went raw.  The worst part was that I would shed like crazy!  My Mom was always pulling handfuls of my long locks out of the rollers of the vacuum.  Yuck!

Now that I eat plenty of nourishing, water-rich foods, my hair is silky and soft.  And I’m no longer a shedding machine!

#8: Healthy Teeth & Gums

But aren’t your teeth supposed to rot out of your head when you go raw?

NO!  The fact that so many long-term raw foodists have suffered tooth decay is simply a testament to the fact that the mainstream raw food diet *does not work*.

On a healthy raw food diet full of sweet fruit, moderate vegetables and little fat, you will not experience teeth problems.  In fact, the condition of your teeth and gums is likely to improve!

The real key is to have a solid dental care system in place and not to make dehydrated foods the base of your diet.

#9: No More Aches, Pains, or Minor Illnesses

How many of you have struggled with “everyday” illnesses and pains such as headaches, migraines, colds, flus, tummy aches, joint pains, muscle cramps, allergies, etc.?  We all have at some point!

I used to struggle with

And of course there were the seemingly random and unexplained aches and pains that would crop up every once in a while.

Every one of these has been *completely eradicated* since I went raw.  No more headaches.  No more colds.  Perhaps best of all, no more heavy periods and gut-wrenching cramps!  Sorry, guys, but that really is a big one for us ladies.

#10: Save Some Green

When you decide to take your health into your own hands and go raw, you can expect to save *heaps* of money in the process.

No more money wasted on unnecessary drugs, supplements or “superfoods.”  No more expensive doctor’s fees.  No more high insurance rates.

You can finally focus on *you* and spend that extra time and money on the things that actually make you more…well, you!

Still Waiting to Go Raw?

What are you waiting for?  Each day that you remain a slave to your aching back, your extra fat, or even your trip to the local pharmacy, is a day that you could be living raw and loving it!

Imagine reversing the ageing process, feeling amazing and have everyone telling you how good you look! Envision yourself full of energy, with a clear focused mind, a body shape & weight that you are happy with and waking up daily feeling well rested and eager to get up and go! Picture living life to your full potential, with an optimum state of health.“Let Food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food” Hippocrates.What is a Vegan Diet?A vegan diet is entirely plant based and void of all animal products – including eggs, fish and dairy. What is a raw vegan diet?A raw vegan diet consists entirely of uncooked, unprocessed, whole plant foods. Examples of what a raw “fooder” might eat are; fresh vegetables, salads & sprouts, green vegetable juices, fruits and fruit smoothies, and nuts and seeds & wheatgrass juice.What is the difference between Raw Food and Living Food?Although the definitions of raw vary, it is commonly held that for a food to be raw it must have not been heated over 118 degrees so not to destroy nutritive value. Living foods include wheatgrass juice & sprouted seeds, nuts & grains.What is a Detox?Detox, short for detoxification, is the elimination of toxic substances from the body.What can I expect during my Detox?The detox is a highly individual process. Everyone experiences it differently. For some there are no detox symptoms at all, whereas some experience light-headedness, nauseous, weak, tired, headaches, fever-like symptoms. Where do I get my protein?This is probably the most common question we get asked, and the answer is that there is a huge myth related to the amount of protein the body needs. Protein is found hemp seeds and nuts, sprouts, dark leafy greens and broccoli. The human body breaks protein down into amino acids, so If you cut out the middle man and eat foods that are rich in amino acids, like ALL uncooked fruits and vegetables, then you are getting more than enough protein direct from the source.How long have I been eating raw?In 2001 I first came into contact with the Essenes’ teachings about raw foods & purificaton, translated from ancient texts known as the Dead Sea Scrolls. At the time I was living on a tropical island. Fresh, lucious fruits and vegetables were growing all around me and I found myself eating raw naturally. I lost weight and started to feel an amazing vitality in my being. This experience lasted for the two years I was in the tropics, but when I returned to my home in the UK I drifted back into eating cooked vegetarian food. The weight piled back on and my sense of aliveness dulled. All the time I knew I was not living my full potential which took it’s toll on me psychologically and I yo-yoed between bouts of depression, PMS, lethargy & worryingly high blood pressure. In 2008 I had a skiing accident and as a result had to have my knee reconstructed. Whilst recouperating I researched places I could go to regain my health through raw foods. I came across The Hippocrates Health Institute in South Florida and decided to take their 9 week Health Educator Programme. The first 3 weeks of the programme is The Life Change Programme, and change my life it did! I learnt that this way of life is not just about changing the way you eat, but about changing anything in your life that no longer serves your process of becoming whole, mentally, emotionally & physically. I took a leap of faith, let go of my old life and made the decision to bring together what I feel most passionate about in order to assist others on their journeys to wellbeing and wholeness….Raw foods, swimming with wild dolphins & yoga. Humanity is at a great shift in consciousness. We are at the dawn of a new age, that we are just beginning to get glimpses of,….2012 has begun energetically….A raw food diet will bring your body into correct alignment for the coming times.What do I eat?First thing in the morning I make either a green vegetable juice loaded with celery, cucumber, greens, ginger, garlic & sprouts or a superfood fruit smoothie depending on whether I’m detoxing or training. The fruit smoothie contains banana, apple, kiwi, coconut water, raw cocao poder, hemp powder, green powder, raw cocao nibs on top and goji berries to chew on. I make enough to have a glass there and then and another in the fridge from when I get back from my workout. Exercise comes far more naturally as you progress on your raw journey…All that new found energy needs somewhere to go! I do a combination of cardio, stretching, yoga, pilates & weights five times a week. The green drinks or smoothies keep me going until around 2pm, then I eat my main meal of the day, a raw lunch of an entrée or onion bread & pate with a salad….I might snack during the day on something sweet like raw cocao or spirulina balls… Or an apple….then in the evening I try and eat before sunset, something light like a salad or juice. I do enjoy sweet things and the beauty of raw is that in moderation you can have your cake and eat it! Raw ice cream is a favourite!How do you eat out?I like to eat raw 90% of the time, but I am not going to forsake meeting up & spending time with friends that don’t eat like me. So occasionally I go out and eat cooked vegan food & make sure I have some digestive enzymes with me to help assimilate the cooked foods digestion process in my body. A raw living food lifestyle will boost your immune system, bring your body into an 80/20 Alkaline/Acid balance for optimum health, vitality & wellbeing so that you can live the way nature intended.Remember…Raw is a journey, not a destinationYour emotional health is just as important as your physical healthPrepare & eat your food consciously with loveExercise oxygenates the blood, stimulates your lymph, relieves tension & improves mental claritySpending time with friends & loved ones that support your vision is highly beneficial to your wellbeingBeing of service, finding your life purpose, sharing your gift with the world, giving something backTaking time out alone to meditate, focus and set your intentions“The food you eat can either be the safest & most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison” Anne WigmoreDo you suffer from any of the following?HeadachesAllergiesWeight GainAddictionsDiabetesHeart DiseaseHigh Blood PressureLow Blood PressureArthrytisCancerLow Energy Low libidoMood swingsPMSDigestive disorders Sleep disordersWeakened immune systemCandidaHigh CholesterolDepressionIf the answer is yes to any of the above, encorporating a raw living foods diet into your daily life will greatly help you.10 Reasons to eat more raw living foods:Weight lossIncrease energy & focusNormalise digestionIncrease enzyme efficiency/Anti-ageingBoost Immune systemClarity of mind/heightened sensesImproved hair, skin & nailsImproved sleep/need less of itIradicate diseaseFeel amazing!Learn more about raw food retreats at www.RawDolphins.com.