It is understood that human beings have evolved over an approximate 4 million year period. For most of that timeframe, we have been living on raw and living foods. It is only relatively recently that we have begun to cook their food.
Research on other mammals in their natural environment has not revealed any significant occurrences of the many diseases that now permeate the human race. For example, conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer and stroke are relatively rare.
It is arguable that one important issue is food intake. Together, living and raw foods are said to make up a cornerstone of many therapeutic and naturopathic regimes, but what exactly are “living foods”?
WHAT ARE LIVING FOODS?
Living foods are truly whole foods, in the sense that they still have their life-force intact. As such, they are said to be enzyme-rich and nutrient dense. Arguably, the best living foods are those that are organically grown, because the full spectrum of nutrients in the soil are preserved and there are no toxic chemicals to negate their benefits.
Proponents of living foods, particularly those with medical conditions, frequently maintain that one of their primary reasons for selecting these foods is the ability of the body to incorporate them into a failing or struggling system, with minimal reliance on digestive energies. In other words, it is suggested that living foods place a lower burden on the digestive system than other food types, without continually depleting our own bodily stores of digestive enzymes.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
Digestive enzymes
Enzymes are the catalysts for each and every chemical reaction that takes place inside the human body. Without them, there could be no operation of the immune system or the brain, nor any cellular division of energy production. Similarly, hormones and vitamins are unable to carry out their functions without enzymes. Each enzyme, metabolic or digestive, has a particular task.
The nutritional significance of living foods resides in accessing simple, natural foods replete with living enzymes and amino acids. Cooked foods cannot, on the whole, achieve this. This is because once heat is applied to food, it is “denatured”, making it significantly harder for our bodies to digest. Cooking food damages around half of the protein content and around 60% of vitamins and renders approximately 60% of the minerals non-absorbable.
Regrettably, cooking food depletes its natural enzymes, which in turn means that the body has to call on its own (finite) resources. The enzymes provided by the body can’t always match those naturally present in the foods, which means that their digestion is regularly incomplete. This can lead to blocking of, for example, the digestive tract and arteries.
In addition, the physiological process of relying on the body’s own enzymes can engage the body in great expenditure of energy, which is likely to lead to a high level of associated waste products that could have additional toxic effects on the body. It is also worth noting that the cooking process causes any pesticides used on the food to break down into even more toxic metabolites, which are more readily taken into our cells.
As such, protecting our limited supply of digestive enzymes should possibly be a primary concern. This action may be more readily achieved through a diet of food rich in their own enzymes, along with the utilisation of food form supplements.
Structured water
Another key element of raw and living foods is their water content. The water in these types of foods is structured, which means that it is easily absorbed into our tissues and can support our biological processes. In their raw state, fruit and vegetables contain high amounts of such water. Our bodies are approximately 70% water, which needs to be replaced on a daily basis in order for our bodies to operate effectively.
Potential benefits of living foods
It is considered by several health practitioners that, in order to function correctly, the body needs correct enzyme capacity, acid-base balance and a healthy digestive tract.
Living foods are considered by a lot of people to be at the peak of their nutritional value and thereby supply to your body optimal nutrients for healthy living, naturally. During sprouting, seeds release their stored nutrients in a surge of vitality as they attempt to become comature plants. It is these nutrients that fans of the living food protocol try to tap into.
To prolong any beneficial effects experienced through a living food eating plan, it is widely directed by nutritionists, dieticians, naturopaths and other health practitioners to avoid harmful foodstuffs, particularly processed, refined and denatured foods high in saturated fats and sugar. It is also recommended to steer clear of as many environmental toxins as possible (for example, through choosing natural, organic foods and drinking pure water).
Together, all of these actions could assist in detoxifying the body and supporting general health, well-being and energy levels.
The time factor
In an ideal world, you would be able to get all of the nutrients you desire on a daily basis from living foods grown yourself under organic conditions, eaten in either a raw or juiced form. However, for one reason or another (e.g. access to living foods, time etc) this is clearly not a realistic option for the vast majority of people.
Specialist Supplements Ltd has the answer! Our tasty, easy-to-make, easy-to-take meal replacements, protein powders and food supplement powders are packed full of superfruit and superfood ingredients, which will help you to sustain the health benefits experienced through detoxing and following a living foods protocol for the long term, without the time and expense of visiting health farms and buying huge quantities of fruits and vegetables. In other words, our organic vegetable, fruit and berry blend powders are the next best thing to eating fresh fruits and vegetables in the quantities required on a daily basis. Why not try them now?!
