One of the things many talk about when transitioning to a raw food diet is 'how do I travel when eating raw?'.

Some look at it as a challenge, some as an obstacle, some as the natural thing to do.

Read more...

With all the parties during the holidays, there are many temptations and opportunities to get cooked.

I like to look at it a little differently.

Since this time of year is for celebration, giving and appreciation, I see it as an opportunity to grow stronger in your convictions and celebrate them... celebrate your path to awesome health through a vegan raw lifestyle.

By growing in your healthy relationship with yourself, you not only grow into better health, your relationships with others blossom as well.

And in addition to sharing gifts with friends and loved ones, what better time to give yourself a gift... the gift of awesome health (only you can do it).

Here are some ideas to thrive during the holidays:

• instead of attending a party, throw your own. Include raw and healthy alternatives to the normal heavy and fattening dishes.
• when attending dinner parties, bring your own dish. You can always eat your own dish if there are no healthy alternatives.
• if the topic of why you may not be eating something comes up, mention that this is what you feel like eating (the raw and healthy alternative).
• eat more fruit!
• focus on the social part of the events rather than the eating.
• take some time out for yourself and celebrate your life and raw journey.
• have plenty of fruit and salads handy to eat and share during the holidays.
• find raw potlucks or meetups in your area and visit with link-minded friends.
• eat a raw meal or snack before attending an event so you won't be hungry. Gives you more time to visit.

Celebrate and enjoy the holidays, vegan and raw!

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you and yours!

Mark

• You can't STAND the smell of any kind of Fast Food no matter how delicious it's supposed to be and you can detect who has just eaten a greasy burger by noticing the odor of Fast Food Ooze coming out of that person's skin
• ...your idea of junk food is celery dipped in tahini, agave, cinnamon and cocoa powder....or the best part of your day is when you get to turn on your juicer
• when the guys in the produce department know your name
• You know that a "9" on the sticker on the fruit/veggie (example: 94031) means the produce is organic.
• Your cravings have gone from chocolate chip cookies to a banana wrapped in romaine leafs!
• when you're packing for a trip and the 1st thing you think of is your juicer.
• when your friends use organic produce to bribe you into doing things for them
• When you're buying fruit and the cashier looks at you puzzled and then asks, "You ate all that fruit you bought yesterday?!"
• ...you start using words that are not in the English dictionary...like RAWESOME.
• you walk into a natural foods store and can barley find something to eat
• you make SEXY sounds while eating a mango....

Source: Nature's First Law Forum

Enjoy... to your best health!

Mark

We all know the benefits of eating greens, although sometime it's challenging to get enough to meet your nutritional needs. Most people don't consume enough greens, even those on vegan or raw diets.

Well here are a few ways to get your fill.

First, try a delicious green smoothie!

A great combination of vitamins and minerals along with the important fiber that's missing in juicing. Try to mix 60% ripe fruit with 40% fresh, dark greens. They are easy to digest and assimilate and actually start absorbing into your body while still in your mouth. They're also easy to make and quick to clean up.

Here's how: combine some fresh fruit like pears, apples, or mangos with some dark leafy greens like romaine lettuce, parsely or kale in a blender. Add a little water and blend.

Try these combinations:

Strawberry-banana-romaine
1-cup strawberries
2 bananas
½ bunch romaine
Water

Apple-kale-lemon
4 apples
½ lemon juice
4-5 leaves of kale
Water

Pear-Spinach
(my favorite)
6 peaches
2 handfuls of spinach leaves
Water

Adjust amount of fruit and vegetables as necessary. These recipes inspired by Victoria Boutenko and Frederic Patenaude.

Second, try some "green lemonade".

Here's how:

You'll need a juicer for this one. Juice a 1/2 head of romaine lettuce, 2 celery stalks, 1 apple, 5 leaves of kale and 1 whole lemon. The apple and lemon add a sweet zing and make this a delicious and easy way to get your greens.

Inspired by Natalia Rose, author of The Raw Food Detox Diet.

After consuming these daily for a few weeks, I noticed increased cravings for more fresh, green foods and eliminated any past unhealthy cravings. This continues today after many months and is an incredible feeling.

Enjoy your life-giving greens!

All the best for your health,

Mark

It's been a very interesting 8 months! As you may know I've been focusing exclusively on raw, whole foods and have avoided most everything else including raw 'junk food'. This includes high fat avocados, dehydrated foods, processed foods, sauces, oils, bars and other foods that contain raw ingredients but have been processed. Basically I've eaten locally or organically grown fruits and veggies with a very limited about of nuts or seeds.

There have been many benefits to this but the one thing that stands out for me has been the ability to feel how everything I eat affects me.

I was fascinated with what I've learned.

Read more...

A new study released last month notes the benefits of a plant-based (vegan) diet for overweight individuals.

Here's the conclusion of the study:

"Adoption of a low-fat, vegan diet was associated with significant weight loss in overweight postmenopausal women, despite the absence of prescribed limits on portion size or energy intake."

What's interesting to note here is that the significant weight loss existed even though the study participants weren't instructed on how little or much to eat, or how much to exercise.

I believe this establishes that a natural, whole food and vegan diet is not only the healthiest option, but also resets your body to its "optimal" weight regardless of how much you eat or exercise. You see, you can pretty much eat all the fresh fruits and vegetables you like without gaining weight. Your body craves nutrients, it uses what it needs and discards the rest.

This contrasts eating an abundance of processed foods that your body sees as "foreign" (since they are not in a natural state) and either stores as fat or accumulates in your digestive system - both unhealthy options and one of the sources of the obesity epidemic in our society today.

Read more about the study at the American Journal of Medicine.

Keep it healthy, keep it moving!

Mark

There are numerous benefits to a vegan/raw diet, most being health related.

But here's a benefit I hadn't considered or noticed until I had been eating raw for 3 months.

Garbage!

Or lack of garbage, that is. I've noticed that my household generates less than 1/3 of the normal amount we used to before eating raw. Since very few whole, raw foods are packaged, you're saving a great deal of packaging waste.

There's even less to recycle since I choose to use my own canvas bags for grocery shopping. If you're a Whole Foods shopper, you may have noticed their new "green bags". They're a steal at under $2 and now will save at least 175 paper bags a year.

Yes, eating raw is eco-friendly too. Just another benefit!

Keep it raw...some,

Mark
The Vegan Raw Diet