Book review of Frederic Patenaude’s “The Raw Secrets” . How to avoid common problems with the raw food diet. By Stacey McCuaig

Take a more in depth look at what the positive effects are to eating more color rich, dense plant ‘super foods’, and in eating more of the health enhancing properties of good ‘super food’ fat foods.

‘Super Foods’ are a classification of certain types of whole foods (minimally processed whenever possible) that are believed, and have been shown, to be good for you. If you begin to make a conscious effort to include more of these super foods into your weekly diet, and commit to understanding why they are good for your body, then you will be living a healthier life inside your body.

Of Course, you should know fresh and raw is best but, whether canned, frozen, or minimally processed, it is far better to eat them this way than not to eat them at all. Eating these health enriching ‘super foods’ will help you look and feel your best, and younger. They will, also, help you lose excess weight and maintain it, reduce your risks of life long diseases, give you longer lasting energy, and a feeling of full satiation after eating them. So let’s get started on some of the best super foods you need to be eating to reach your healthy body goals.

What plant super plant food is good for helping to soften your skin? Pomegranates.

Pomegranates are loaded with an antioxidant vitamin, vitamin C. Plus, the juice from the seeds contain ellagic acid and punicalagin. The first substance fights free radical damage; the second substance may increase your body’s ability to preserve collagen. Collagen helps keep skin looking moist, young, and soft.

What super plant food helps smooth fine lines in the skin? Blueberries.

Blueberries have become notoriously known for their antioxidant power. They have more antioxidants than almost any other plant food. Blueberries help protect your skin, and acts as a natural sunscreen to protect skin against sunburning, strengthens overall brain functioning, and helps you fight emotional stress.

What super plant foods help firm skin, giving it more elasticity? Kale and spinach.

These two veggies, and many others, have high levels of the antioxidant vitamins A, C, D, E, and K. and other compounds known as phytonutrients. These natural plant food substances help guard against sunburning the skin, strengthen heart (cardiovascular) health, and helps protect you from developing cancer.

What cold water fish sources, also known as super foods, helps keep skin, hair, and joints healthy and properly lubricated? Sardines, salmon, mackerel, tuna, and other small ocean fish species.

Do not care for the taste of fish? Well, you can still get your omega-3s in smaller amounts in flaxseed, walnuts, almonds, grass-fed beef and free range poultry meats and eggs. Omega-3 fats are great for sharp mental functioning, reduces risk of developing heart disease, cancer, and lowers the risk of developing behavior and mood disorders (depression).

What super plant food helps control brown age spots on the skin? Green, black, and white teas.

These healthy brews contain a substance called catechins. This phytonutrient helps prevent skin damaging sunburns. Another substance found in green, black, and white tea leaves is another phytonutrient known as polyphenols. This nutrient chemical may possibly help to reverse, or prevent, brown age spots on the skin.

Both of these phytochemicals have also shown to help protect us against heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

Tea contains half the amount of caffeine than coffee. Black tea, in particular, has been shown to improve oral mouth health. Teas can be drank either hot or iced, and can be used as a flavoring agent in marinades and other dishes.

What healthy fat oils help maintain a rosy skin glow? Olive oil, coconut oil, and lean animal saturated fats such as grass-fed beef and free range poultry meats and eggs.

Olive oil is mostly a monunsaturated fat. It also contains a small amount of polyunsaturated fat, so do not over use it. Extra virgin olive oil has a higher level of the antioxidant vitamin, vitamin E. Olive oil also activates the secretion of bile in the gallbladder, and regulates pancreatic hormones better, and more naturally, than prescription drugs. Consequently, it also lowers the incidence of gallstone formation.

Coconut oil increases energy levels by boosting your metabolism. It is mostly a saturated fat food source (60%), to a lesser degree, it has a small amount of monounsaturated fat oil, and a trace amount of polyunsaturated fat.

I would suggest cooking with both of these healthy fats, alternating their use in specific dish recipes, for example; coconut oil for stir frying and frying meats and vegetables, olive oil for salad dressings and meat marinades.

Lean sources of poultry and animal fats come from mostly grass fed, free range livestock. As mentioned earlier, these healthy proteins and fat food sources are higher in omega-3s than conventionally, mostly grain fed, meat sources. Omega-3s improve blood circulation, leaving skin with a rosy, supple look and feel.

What dietary fluid substance helps to better distribute all of these healthy food nutrients to where they are needed throughout your body? Why it is water, of course.

No other fluid solvent does this more efficiently than pure water. Water will, also, carry away toxic body wastes, hydrate all body cells, and consistently lower and maintain a more desired body weight, naturally.

Would I kid you here?

No, I absolutely would not. After all, this is a chosen area of serious passion for me. This strategy does work, and I might add, eating more as nature had intended for us to eat has brought me out of a state of ill health, to enjoy a much healthier body and lifestyle today!

You can do it this way too, and be most successful at eliminating, or easing, many different health challenges that you are currently, and frustratingly, tolerating at the moment. At the very least, it should make you feel better knowing that you are actively trying to do something to improve your dismal situation.

Raw food diets are based on the idea that cooked food reduces the level of positive enzymes, which many people believe are important for health. Find out how to lose weight on a raw food diet with help from alicensed dietitian/nutritionist in this free video on raw food diets. Expert: Heidi Kaufman Bio: Heidi Kaufman is a licensed dietitian and nutritionist, and she is a certified diabetes educator for Partners in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition in Wilmington, North Carolina. Filmmaker: Rendered Communications

Visit a bookstore for weight loss tips and you’ll likely be overwhelmed by the actual number of diet plans available. The same is true for browsing the Internet for free diet plans. With so many different weight loss programs to choose from, it’s hard to decide which weight loss plans actually work and are good for your health. Many of the programs available are simply diet scams that have been devised to make money off of people looking for a simple plan to lose weight fast.

The Importance of Healthy Weight Loss Program

It’s best to use a common sense approach to dieting and weight loss. Weight loss requires lifestyle changes. Choosing a diet that is too restrictive or advises you to avoid certain food groups may help you lose weight initially, but they are not ideal for a long-term dieting and weight loss program.

Certain foods can actually endanger your health. Beware of artificial chemicals i.e., MSG (monosodium glutamate), preservatives and sweeteners. If you can’t pronounce the items on the ingredient list, don’t eat it. Don’t feed them to your kids, either. Harmful substances effect brain function, interfere with normal body functions are addictive and cause adverse reactions. Instead, choose healthy organic and whole foods for your family.

Limit Fast Foods and Sweets

It’s best to limit snack foods and fast food while following a weight loss program. While it’s necessary to moderate whole food groups like carbohydrates, protein or dairy, it’s also important to limit or eliminate sweets in your diet.

The problem with including fast foods and sweets in your diet is not only how difficult it makes losing weight, but also how these foods actually increase cravings and cause you to eat more in general.

You may think nothing of indulging in a piece of cake now and then, but if it leads to eating poorly for the entire day, week or month, then it’s definitely not worth it. A cheating moment can snowball into a binge that is difficult to get back under control.

Whole Foods for Healthy Weight Loss

Weight loss isn’t easy and there are no diet pills, shakes, fat free foods, sugar free foods, artificial sweeteners, or any other products that will change that fact.

Many companies have tried to keep up a with the top 10 fad diet trends; such as the South Beach diet and the Adkins diet. They’ve made fat free, reduced fat and light versions of their original products. The problem with these products is they lose their taste without the fatty ingredients.

That’s where the artificial chemicals and other sweeteners come in to play. Companies use these unhealthy additives to make their products taste better. Even though they may taste better, they are not any better for you, and may actually be worse, than the full fat versions.

The best way to lose weight is to adopt healthy habits. This doesn’t have to happen overnight. Start by making small changes in your diet. Reach for healthy organic and whole foods, instead of processed snacks and skip the fast foods. The closer to its original form a food is the better. Eat plenty of raw fruits and vegetables, steamed brown rice and grilled fish or chicken. Keep things simple and limit condiments and dressings that add unnecessary calories.

Don’t worry if you can’t afford organic foods or you have trouble refusing some of your favorite foods at first. Concentrate on limiting the quantity of food you eat and gradually increase the quality of the food you eat. Only when you follow a healthy, simple plan to diet like this and incorporate exercise will you lose weight and keep it off.

My two Vizsla hunting dogs get homemade dog food twice each day. I mix an adjusted amount with good quality dry kibble.

Homemade dog food can be better than some commercial products. We don’t realize what’s in the food we give our pets. Always inspect the ingredients.

Commercial dog foods can contain preservatives, and are altered by chemical processes that can be unhealthy for dogs. They can also contain processed unknown animal products and fillers that do nothing to contribute to your pet’s health.

To avoid your dogs ingesting unknown dog food ingredients, make your own. Control not only the content, but the quality as well.

Reasons To Consider A Homemade Dog Food

- dog has allergies to food
- persistent skin problems
- gastrointestinal upsets including diarrhea or constipation
- competes in sporting events or working stock and needs strength for endurance
- control of quality and freshness
- nothing processed so food retains all the vitamins, antioxidants and enzymes

Observe your dog to see he is getting his required dog food nutrition.

- shiny coat, illustrious feel
- sparkling eyes
- alert, good energy and activity
- maintain weight without getting fat
- stool firm and consistent

An appropriately balanced dog food recipe contains roughly 40% meat, 30% starch and 30% vegetables.

1. Meat: Any type can be included. Organ meat, such as liver, is particularly healthy for dogs. Bones should be removed as they are a choking hazard. Cook the meat – uncooked meat can contain unhealthy bacteria and possibly parasites.

2. Starch: Most forms are okay – cooked pasta, potatoes, and rice are common choices for homemade dog food.

3. Vegetables: Most types can be used. Do not use onions as they can be toxic. Cook the vegetables – raw veggies can pose a choking hazard.

Recipe For Quick Adult Homemade Dog Food

This recipe will feed a 50 pound adult dog for one day. If your dog in smaller or larger then the 50 pounds, adjust the amount of ingredients. You can cook enough for many days, divide accordingly and freeze the rest. This food has No preservatives, so refrigerate the fresh food for 3 days maximum. The human vitamin supplement Theragran-M Advanced and calcium carbonate (example: Tums) can be found in any pharmacy.

- 5 oz. dark meat chicken or turkey beef or fish
- 2 1/8 cups cooked brown rice
- 1 tsp. corn oil
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 pills Theragran-M Advanced (crushed)
- 2100 milligrams calcium carbonate (crushed)

Directions:

1. Cook rice until done.
2. Bake your meat, poultry, or fish choice 325 degrees for 30 minutes.
3. Crush human vitamins and “Tums”.
4. Mix all ingredients.

Pay attention to your dog’s response to the new dog food recipes you use. There may be items they refuse to eat or have reactions to a particular food. Try something else in their place, such as substitute chicken for turkey or rice for potatoes. Be aware for changes in your dog’s behavior, especially things such as excessive scratching. This could indicate an allergy to one of the foods you are using.

Homemade dog food recipes generally cause fewer allergic reactions than commercial brands. Plus, by making dog food recipes at home, you can control the proportion of different ingredients. This can be very important to working and sporting breeds that may require more nutrients for their active lifestyles.

While in the kitchen, why not whip up some dog biscuits. Recipes can be found on the Internet, or try your library. Here is an easy dog biscuit recipe, use it for training or a treat. I have never met a dog who didn’t love his cheese!

Any Cheese Biscuits

- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Swiss, mozzarella, or any cheese in the fridge)… dogs Love any type of cheese!
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 3/4 cup milk, lowfat
- grated parmesan for topping (if you have it on hand)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Mix all flours and cheese together in a food processor (or by hand, mix well).
3. Add softened butter and milk, mix well.
4. Roll out on a surface to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness.
5. Cut into shapes, squares is fine.
6. Place on greased baking surface.
7. Bake for 15 to 29 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Cool and store in refrigerator.

Always check with your Veterinarian before making any changes to your dog’s diet. For any type of dog, homemade dog food is a good choice to ensure they live a long, happy, and healthy life.