Tonya Kay, professional dancer, performance artist, actress and raw foodist talks about how she overcame manic depression by switching from a vegan diet to a raw vegan diet.
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Just ran across this introductory video of some tasty and healthy holiday recipes. The recipes are made from fresh, raw ingredients and made to satisfy anyone, raw or not. Dorit, the guest chef, shows you how to make a complete holiday meal, from soup to dessert. She also gives you tips on why presentation is important, especially when serving family and friends. This video is one of many raw and vegan health related educational materials from Storm and Jinjee Talifero of The Garden Diet. View the introduction video at RawFoodHowTo.com and to download the complete video, visit Natural Paradigms.

Giving you thanks and joy-filled holidays!

Mark

A recent study has connected the long term consumption of meat to various types of colon cancer. This isn’t surprising, undigested meat collects in the colon over the years, preventing the colon from doing it’s job, filtering out toxins and poisons. Most American’s have 5-10 pounds of impacted waste, much of it undigested meat, in the colon at any one time! Here are some great explanations of why keeping the colon cleaned out and free of the impacts of long term meat consumption:

“The heavy mucus coating in the colon thickens and becomes a host of putrefaction. The blood capillaries to the colon begin to pick up the toxins, poisons and noxious debris as it seeps through the bowel wall. All tissues and organs of the body are now taking on toxic substances. Here is the beginning of true autointoxication on a physiological level. One autopsy revealed a colon to be 9 inches in diameter with a passage through it no larger than a pencil. The rest was caked up layer upon layer of encrusted fecal material. This accumulation can have the consistency of truck tire rubber. It’s that hard and black. Another autopsy revealed a stagnant colon to weigh in at an incredible 40 pounds.”

From Tissue Cleansing Through Bowel Management, 1980, by Dr. Bernard Jensen, DC, ND, Ph.D.

“Most people who eat the standard American ‘goo and glue’ diet have about 5-10 pounds of matter stored in the colon. It’s said that, according to the autopsy, John Wayne had 40 pounds of impacted fecal matter in his body at death. Elvis reportedly had 60 pounds.”

Reported in the January 11, 1999 issue of USA Today

“In times past, knowledge of the bowel was more widespread and people were taught how to care for the bowel. Knowing the ways of keeping the bowel healthy, and in good shape, is the best way I know to keep away from the grip of disease and sickness.”

Dr. Bernard Jensen, Tissue Cleansing Through Bowel Management

A vegan diet helps maintain a clean, regular and fast moving colon, and in turn normal weight and overall better health.

To you best health!

Mark
vegandiet.blogspot.com

This light, but satisfying Gazpacho soup is delicious!

What you’ll need:
(makes 1 serving, adjust if necessary)

• 2 tblsp extra virgin, cold pressed organic olive oil
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 tblsp raw honey (optional)
• 2 tblsps lemon juice
• sea salt to taste
• fresh basil to taste
• 1/2 avocado (cubed)
• 1/2 red bell pepper (cubed)
• 2 stalks of celery (cubed)
• chopped parsley
• 1/4 yellow or red onion (chopped)

Make organic produce your first choice whenever possible.

How to make it:

First, blend the oil, lemon juice, sea salt, tomatoes, garlic and basil. Add small amount of water if necessary and blend until smooth.

Pour the soup into a bowl and add chopped vegetables.

Mix all ingredients and top with chopped parsely.

If you like a little spice, add a dash of cayenne pepper… wow!

This is a wonderful soup to start your evening meal, or make several servings for a full meal. Easy to make, satisfying and delicious!

Enjoy and all good things,

Mark
The Vegan Raw Diet

Vegans have a higher rate of bone formation than meat eaters reports the Agriculture Research Service, a branch of the USDA.

In this study, although the calcium intake was higher for meat eaters, vegans still showed higher rates of bone formation. The reason behind the difference is that meat protein turns into sulfur when consumed and is acidic. This causes a temporary state of acidosis, a high state of acid. Our bodies compensate to reach a balance by pulling calcium phosphate, an alkaline buffer, from our bones. As you can imagine, the more meat you eat, the more calcium is pulled from your bones.

Vegetable protein, on the other hand, is not acidic and doesn’t require the “borrowing” of calcium from the bones where this natural mineral is most abundant in the body.

Bone formation is critical and lack of bone density can lead to osteoporosis and being more vulnerable to bone fractures.

Read more at the USDA web site.

To your best health,

Mark
http://vegandiet.blogspot.com

One of the many questions I receive is along the lines of… “it’s hard for me to get more greens in my diet, how can I do it?”

The short answer is, it couldn’t be easier… if you want to. Making your salad the main dish for dinner is a great start… and then start experimenting with different greens. There’s an abundance of green leafy vegetables that you can make into dozens of salads, burritos, wraps and many more.

Here’s a favorite that’s quick, easy and a great way to increase greens in your diet.

Blended Salad

One of the benefits of blended salads is that you can get a large amount of greens into a meal.. and you can be creative with what you add to the mix. Here’s one of my favorite recipes:

(serves 1-2 … adjust accordingly)

3-4 Kale leaves
5-6 Romaine Lettuce leaves
2 Roma Tomatoes
1/4-1/2 Cucumber
2-3 Green Onions
Handful of fresh Cilantro
1/2 Avocado
Handful Sun Dried Tomatoes
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 Red Pepper
Sprouts (alfalfa, brocolli, etc)
Sprouted Pumkin Seeds

Add all ingredients except green onions, red peppers, sun dried tomatoes and avocado into a blender or food processor and blend until you get a smooth consistency. I recommend adding a little at a time and saving the sun dried tomatoes until the end and blend partially to leave small chunks. Top with chopped avocado, green onions, pumpkin seeds, and sprouts and you have a super green meal! You can be creative and make any combination you’d like… toppings, different greens, vegetables, seeds… make a different one every time and have fun!

Enjoy!

All good things,

Mark

I often get questions about whether I recommend the Hallelujah Diet (also known as the Adam and Eve Diet) since it appears to be related closely to the raw vegan diet.

First, let’s define the Hallelujah Diet. Here’s what the official Hallelujah Acres website at HAcres.com says about the diet:

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