Happy Thanksgiving

I love cooked food. Growing up in a Hispanic home cooked food was the number one food that was served. Raw food was limited not intentionally but nevertheless it was the least of the foods I consumed. You can imagine my shock and horror when I discovered that in order to reclaim my health and prevent disease health experts recommend that you consume at least 80% of your food raw and 20% of your food cooked. Although today eating raw food comes naturally to me at first it was a great burden. Raw foods are the only foods on the planet that contribute the exact amount of nutrients for the human body to convert to living tissue. They are full of enzymes, vitamins, minerals, proteins, water and fiber. Today I would like to focus on the wonderful world of enzymes.

Enzymes like protein have many different functions in the human body. They are magnificently working to preserve health. There are hundreds of enzymes each created with its own specific duty. I am fascinated by the intricate details of their work in the human body but it was the role they play in digestion and nutrition that made all the difference in the world in reclaiming my health and preventing disease. As I learned more and more about their amazing ability to aid in reclaiming your health and preventing disease I wanted to know where to get these much needed enzymes from. Much to my surprise they are found mostly in raw fruits and vegetables. This new information created all sorts of challenges for me as I pursued reclaiming my health. The holiday season was especially difficult for me as I transitioned from my indulgence of processed, unhealthy foods to living healthy foods. In time I was able to master eating more raw foods than cooked foods.

Here are a few facts about enzymes to remember: 

• Cooked foods have no enzymes necessary for digestion and are usually depleted of vitamins and minerals, fiber and water.
• It is impossible to lose weight and keep it off with out eating raw foods.
• The pancreas manufactures enzymes to help break down fat, starches and protein. Unfortunately it functions under great stress when we consume primarily cooked foods.
• Raw foods contain living enzymes that help supplement the body’s enzyme reserves.
• Consuming only cooked food is the number one way to burden your organs. After years of consuming unhealthy, processed cooked foods the pancreas begins to swell and show signs of wear.
• Enzymes only have so much time to accomplish their work in the human body and then it is time to replace them again.
• The only resource for enzymes the pancreas can count on for help are found in living foods: raw fruits and vegetables.  

The following are some of the things I do to enjoy the holiday festivities and remain health conscious:

• I limit consuming animal products until the actual holiday week.
• I prepare a vegetable smoothie and store it in a quart size mason jar so that I can drink it before and after my holiday meal. It is full of raw fruits and vegetables.(This is an everyday practice for me but during the holidays it is even more important I drink no less than two a day.)
• I order an organic turkey.
• I enjoy mostly plant based side dishes.
• All of my desserts are made with very little animal products.
• I enjoy one or two desserts.

Eat for your spirit. When I was in the beginning stages of reclaiming my health and my body was sick and in pain I had many days when I wanted to give up. One specific day my son found me sitting on the kitchen floor crying. He put his arm around me and cried with me, and then he asked me, “Mom how can I help?”  I said, “I am crying because I am hungry for something other than raw foods and I don’t know what else to eat.”  He answered, “May be today you should eat for your spirit. You have to develop the will to keep on going.”  I did.  I enjoyed only cooked food that day (not unhealthy food) and I learned that day to eat for my spirit.

With the holidays upon us I thought I would dedicate this blog to all those who are on their own personal pursuit of reclaiming their health and preventing disease through faith and nutrition. These are people who are doing everything in their power to make the necessary changes in their lives to assist their own bodies in getting well and staying well. These are people who never get offended by the simple truth that life style and disease are closely related. They have worked all year long on becoming critical health thinkers. They are careful to respect those who have not yet made the life saving, life changing connection between life style and disease. They long to persuade their friends and loved ones that health and wellness is achievable. They are stronger, wiser and slimmer and they sleep and cope better. They are free to enjoy some holiday compromises; they understand that it is the totality of their life style that is of great importance and not a single event that promotes health.

Happy Thanksgiving my friends, eat for your spirit.

Experience How Simple Health Really Is! 

Becky